A Friend in an Enemey
by ShadowDiva
Summary: Minx is on the run from mercs, what happens when circumstances make her end up living amoungst Riddick and Jack? Chronicals Of Riddick Spoilers at end. Story Complete!
1. The World She Knew

**Don't own anything related to the movie Pitch Black. (I wish! But sadly no). But Minx, Hocks, Deo, and any other characters related to them are all mine. **

**The World She Knew**

She was hiding out in an underground brothel, staying with her oldest friend, Dana. Who was working tonight, but Minx still felt safe. The room was dark and musty, that of an old basement. She closed and locked the door behind her, groaning at her aching wounds. She laid on her stomach on the five inch thick excuse for a mattress, and buried her face in the pillow. Her eyes were heavy and so was her entire body, but no sleep came to her. All that arrived was the nightmare.

_Three weeks ago: _

"We have to leave Deo! The towns crawling with new and suspicious faces. Plus with Karth murdered last night, it's not safe anymore." Minx quietly pleaded, to her business partner and the first love of her life.

But Deo shook his head, "No! We have to destroy all evidence. Even then you know noth-"

But she cut him off, the panic in her body rising. "Deo, Karth called be last night, he said that the mercs were in town! And crushing our false identity-ring was their top priority. Then capturing you and me was the next on their list." She paused to shift her suede rook sack on her shoulder that held all of her belongings. Deo looked at her, his eyes filled with determination. _Shit!_ She thought, becoming frantic, _We don't have time for this! _

They were standing in their operation headquarters, surrounded by computer screens, and supplies. The room was dark and cold like a refrigerator. Only to her it felt like an ominous coffin. Her lungs tightened at the thought of what was to come. The mercs, the shots ringing through the precious night air, the realization of their complete utter defeat, and worst of all the feeling of her freedom slipping through her fingers.

She knew something was going to happen, she felt it deep in her bones, "Look the money, pride, freedom, and equipment ain't worth shit if were dead!" She said in a whisper, not wanting to confess to herself the possibility of dying.

"But if we live the evidence will send us into something worst then death! Me to slam, you to god knows where! I'm not going to let that happen." He said with a cryptic resolve.

She shook her head quickly, "Neither am I Deo." She said desperately, then she reached into her pocket for her solution. She felt it soft in the palm of her hand, heavy, smooth, and warm. It was a military explosive. The conclusion it would bring making her head pound.

You could play with it all day long, it was harmless. But when paired with a stick-like detonator it was lethal. She showed it quickly to him, then stuffed it back into her pocket, "Now if we put this on the monitors, we can-"

But she never finished an explosion ruptured through the air, sending scraps of stainless steel metal flying. The nightmare began.

The ceiling began to rain with debris; the fires of hell seemed to seep through the floor. The front of the room burst into flames as the sparks collided with the loose wires sprouting from the computers. A round of shots rang through the air as she tumbled to the ground, pulling Deo with her.

As fast as it came, the shots subsided, followed by those intolerable words, "Come out with your hands up!" It was a male voice, some sixty feet from her, "Don't make this hard, or my friends will have to get involved, and they don't play as nicely as me!" The voice boomed but it seemed to only sound like a chilling whisper in her ear. Her body began to vibrate as adrenaline began to pulse though its entire existence.

Suddenly she heard diesel engines in the distance. That could only mean one thing…reinforcements.

Frantically, she eyed her surroundings, taking in possible escape routes. Only two: The door way in which the mercs came in, or, the window.

With the explosive in her left hand, she motioned Deo to follow her. Minx pushed off with the tips of her foot and broke into crawling on all fours. She felt stinging pins radiate up her elbows, then arms, as her flesh scraped on the rough concrete floor.

Her body gave a quick flinch as a monitor to the left of her exploded into flames, sending more plastic and metal raining down on them.

"You must not have heard me correctly, come out or I'll have to drag you out." He said, blasting another monitor into oblivion, then another, and another, until the entire left wall was ridden of computers. The window was nearing closer and closer into hopeful reach.

_Just a little further! _She thought desperately. Suddenly she spotted what she was looking for, the gas heater. She quickly slammed the explosive into the register, and stuck the detonator in. She began moving toward the window when the unthinkable happened.

Another booming explosion filled the atmosphere. But this time it was followed by a heavy crash, sending an earthquake vibration though the floor underneath her. "Well well look what I found" _Oh Shit, he found the safe!_ Minx realized, "Some extra dough to add to my commission." The Merc chided, mocking surprise.

She continued to the window, focusing on the night sky, and the sounds behind her. Out of the side of her eye, she saw a flicker of movement. In that moment she felt like screaming. A cold chill ran over her entire body, as she saw Deo stand up. _You fool!_

She looked past him, and saw the Merc loading the safe's contents into a black duffel bag. Then she forced her eyes back to Deo, just in time to see his hand emerge from his pocket with a silver hand gun.

"Don't do it Deo!" She pleaded.

He shook his head, as he drew his gun, "You BAST-" Then she heard the thwack of a pistol as a lone shot cracked through the air. But the bullet didn't fire from his gun. Deo fell to the floor in front of her. His eyes glazed over, his finger still on the trigger. Minx's stomach turned, her body clenched, her head spun. Her heart stopped beating. Deo was gone.

She heard a chorus of clicking rifles and a concentrated sound of combat boots, her blood ran cold. She had to save herself. She climbed out the window, grasping the ledge for all she was worth. While there she planted another bundle of explosives.

"There she is, by the window!" Another male voice yelled.

She let go of the ledge, and grasped the wrought iron fire escape ladder. She soon realized it was very old, and half of it was missing. Rust and torn shredded metal dug into her palms, as the creaking of the stripped bolts holding it together became louder. She knew this ladder moved closer to the ground but it seemed to be stuck. She began to climb down to the balcony to her left but suddenly the ladder's bolts gave out, sending her plunging fifty feet toward the ground.

With the gray pavement approaching quickly, Minx aimed and dropped her rook sack into the dumpster below. Grinding metal sent copper sparks flying around her. The ladder seeming to pick up speed, as she began to feel sick.

She heard shouts from the window above then saw a uniformed commando start to ease out onto the ledge. Abruptly the ladder stopped its decent, giving her a slight jerk, making Minx slightly loose her grip.

She closed her eyes and swallowed realizing she was still had the first floor to contend with that just happened to be ten feet up in the air. There was only one saying that came into mind. _Fight or flight?!_ She decided to choose both.

She took one hand off the ladder, and reached into her back pocket. Pulling out the switch to the detonator, she held her breath and pushed the button.

Seconds dragged past, it felt as if ten million life times were passing in slow motion. She waited, but nothing happened. All remained quiet, motionless, and sinister.

"Shit!" She cursed savagely, all hope draining from her body, the unattainable feeling of doom seizing her sole.

A single tear fell down her cheek, as she threw the detonator to the ground below. A second later it shattered into pieces, in the same moment came a bursting eruption. A ball of fire lit up the night sky as the whole top floor of the building exploded before her eyes.

Minx let go and dropped to the ground as sirens filled the air. She stumbled to her feet and started to run. Her heart beating in her ears. Her eyes blurred by tears. She heard footsteps echoing in the street behind her, voices, crashing debris, and rumbling engines. They all formed together into one horrid memory as the essence of smoke and blood filled her lungs.

She broke into a sprint, heading for a dark alley way that held a secret hide out within its walls. The diabolic 4 story brick buildings loomed in the distance as she neared her only planned destination.

She made a sharp left turn while bounding over a large sheet of ice. She gasped for air, the chill making her throat lock up, and her eyes water. She pushed it aside and somehow managed to breath.

Scampering up another wrought iron ladder, she made her way up to the hide out. At the second ladder she slipped, again sending her falling. She grasped the closest rung, and pulled herself up. Five minutes later she squeezed through the six foot high cracked brick into a space twice as deep. She braced herself by pressing her feet against the opposing wall, and her arms above her head. She heaved a great shuddering sigh and listened.

Two orbs of yellow light suddenly illuminated the alley way below. She heard voices. The sound bounced off the walls so that she could hear everything.

"She's gone." A male voice said, obviously disgusted.

"No she couldn't of just vanished. Mark my words she is out there!" Came another male voice, more cruel and bitter then the first. His comment made her lips curl into a grievous and tragic smirk. _Got that right dumb-ass!_

_**Present:**_

Eventually the hours passed, the dark of the night was replaced by the morning. She waited. Slipping out of hiding when she was sure the coast was clear, somehow she had made it to this place, but it was all a blur to her.

Suddenly her limbs sprang into life and began to throb with pain as the pain killers began to wear off and her body returned to its damaged state. Her skin stung harshly, reminding her never to do that again._ I don't need to be reminded thank you very much!_ She cursed to herself.

_Hell! How could I ever be able to forget? _She slowly closed her eyes as the reality sunk in. Minx's life as she knew it had disappeared. She felt a single tear run down her cheek and let out a yelp of pain. A moment later the door was flung open and a huge figure stood in the door way, she heard a rifle click. Her eyes went wide as something struck her head and a cold wave washed over her body.


	2. Chapter 1 Jack

Chapter 1: **_Jack_**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack sat next to Riddick waiting for their flight gate to open. Riddick was wearing his usual smug, expressionless public face. Jack looked down at her duffel bag that he had given her for her birthday two days ago. She was now fifteen years old. She was happy, yet sad that this was going to be her last months with Riddick, before she spent three or more years with Imam. Jack was trying to be strong, trying to prove to Riddick that she was a woman now, not a weak child. Maybe if she tried to be tougher, he'd let her stay with him. 

Abandoning her depressing thoughts, Jack looked around the space port. Same ol', same ol. Some uniformed monkeys (as Riddick called them), civilians, families, couples, and again more couples. She saw a flash of black through the corner of her eye, and tried desperately to find it again. She spotted the room like Riddick had taught her, and saw it yet again. 

It turned out to be a woman, she stood out from everyone else. She was a little bit taller then Jack. She had a bigger frame, dark long hair. What color it was she couldn't tell. She had sunglasses on, that made her look like a movie star tying to be discreet. Jacks eyes went from the woman to her only luggage. A cool tan sued rook sack, that was filled to the hilt, and looked extremely heavy. But the girl carried it like a mini handbag, ever so casually. Her clothes were awesome. Although Jack didn't think of her self as a girly-girl she liked the clothes the woman wore. Vertically ribbed jeans, and a white baby tee that hugged her chest, she wore a wire bra under it. Jack suddenly frowned at her own clothes.

Jack watched the woman move across the platform. She was light on her feet, very smooth. She rolled her hips, and delicately swung her right arm as she walked. Making more then one guy stop and stare, but she didn't seem to notice. Jack counted seven guys.

She was cool. Suddenly she felt a hand hit her leg. "Hey kid?" Riddick said. She was too distracted to answer, as she quickly lost track of the woman. "Jack!" He rumbled, smacking her leg once again. She reluctantly tore her eyes away. "What?" She asked, still distracted. "Get your ass in gear, the gates opening." Riddick replied impatiently. Jack stood, and nodded vacantly. No luck she disappeared. "Jack, let's go!" Riddick commanded. "Yeah...okay, I'm coming." She said with a sigh, as she followed by his side to the gate. 

They got through with no problems. Riddick was doing some ship maintenance in exchange for their room and board. It was a lucky brake, that Hocks had pulled for them. Hocks, was Riddick's only real friend. Thanks to him, they had their own apartment. It was simple but nice. 

Suddenly Riddick and Jack got stopped by one of Hocks's men. A guy named Tollini. He was small and scared shitless of Riddick. Which was funny to witness Tollini almost wet his pants when he saw him. "Excuse me sir, but the boss wants to see you." Tollini said in a shaken voice, taking a sharp step back. Jack noticed Riddick give his signature, dead-pan, no-shit nod. "This way please." The smaller man said, not meeting their eyes. He led them down a narrow hallway, through a holographic picture, and stopped in front of what looked like a titanium, bullet proof door. Giving it four rhythmic taps, it slid open, to reveal a very stunning control room. 

It was all metal, and dimly lit by soft blue panel lights, that to Jacks secret pleasure, made Riddick remove his goggles, to reveal his beautiful shined eyes. That to Jack (besides his gravely voice) was the sexiest thing about him. She caught herself starting to stare so she tried desperately to focus on something else. Although she could stare at him all day long.

In the middle of the room was a matching silver desk, behind it sat Hocks. Hocks was the only man Jack had ever seen that actually dwarfed Riddick. He was also the only other guy she half trusted, even though she didn't show it. Hocks stood at 6' 10'', which was a good 8'' taller then Riddick. He was however considerably older and wiser. No one spoke until Tollini left. Her eyes went to Hocks's right arm, that had the coolest tattoo of a Chinese dragon running the entire length of it. From his shoulder to his wrist. Hocks had long wavy grayish hair, steely cold hazel eyes, and a goatee and moustache that fit him well. 

"Hey Riddick Jack. Everything going okay so far?" Hocks asked, looking from Riddick to her. Then back to Riddick, who was casually leaning against the stainless steal railing. The blue lights illuminated his features, making him seem to glow. Jack inwardly melted. _Love sick wimp!_ She thought to herself. "As good as it could get, you?" He said. Hocks shook his head. "Okay. But I got a problem. My niece is traveling to Nebula 10. She has a very healthy bounty. So a merc that was on her tail canceled her room, hoping to catch her." Hocks said. "Now I've momentarily lost track of her." He said blankly. "Humm, must have been a rookie. That was a big gamble." Riddick smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, turns out it was his second case. But, that's not the point." He paused to look at some papers. "There are no more extra bunks or anything available on my ship. She needs to get to Nebula 10. And safely." Jack could tell Riddick knew what was coming. He had that look of stubbornness, annoyance, and curiosity. But mostly it was stubbornness. Apparently Hocks knew that look too, because he just sighed and said, "Riddick, I've up graded your cabin so that every room has a closet, bathroom, and bed in it. The only common spaces are the living room, work out room, kitchen area, and laundry." He stated. He wasn't pleading, he didn't threaten, he didn't ask, he didn't try to be persuading he just said it in a robotic-like tone. With out any trace of feeling, what so ever. 

Jack wished she could do that. But _everything_ she said was filled with _so_ much emotion that _everyon_e could tell what she was feeling. She was intrigued by the situation: Another girl living with her and Riddick for two to three months. A girl with a bounty, she had to be rough to have a bounty. She was Hock's niece so she had to be somewhat cool, and to top it all off she didn't sound very old, the way Hock's was talking about her. Then again, maybe she was just a prissy trouble maker, or was just trying to be tough. She guessed she just had to wait and see what Riddick would decide, she knew he didn't like to be around people, or just a person for that matter, much less a unknown girl who was going to be living with them. 

But what did that girl do to get a bounty? "Her name is Minx. If you ever watched the news at night you'd know about her." He said matter-o-factly. Jack knew about her. _God!_ All her old guy pals back on the streets talked about her. They all called her a hottie. Jack didn't know why they thought she was hot, she'd never seen a picture. But Jack secretly wanted to be like her. Not so that her guy friends would think she was hot, but it was because of everything else. 

She was able to travel the galaxies without having to pose as a guy, she was tough, and knew how to get what she wanted. She remembered hearing stories about her. How she was only sixteen when she joined an underground team of identity creators and became wealthy by the age of seventeen. Then there was the part about her being an ace at machine guns, lasers, and blades. Not to menton her knack for hacking into computers. Plus, all that stuff about her kicking ass. Now, she wished she were as tough as that. Maybe Riddick would let her stay with him, maybe he might even begin to notice her, if she could just be half that indestructible, half that cool, half that independent. But she knew she wasn't like that. 

"I know who she is." Riddick said bluntly, but there was something he wasn't saying. His voice sounded different, lower, slower, just different. She'd never herd his voice like that before. She saw Hocks look at Riddick for a long moment. She felt lost, she didn't understand Riddick or Hocks in that moment. Why were they looking at eachother like that? She had no clue. But apparently they had more then a clue, they had an entire understanding. It was like a silent conversation, that held some form of coded information. She hated feeling blind and utterly ignorant. Eventually the moment passed, she was forever grateful. 

Riddick straightened and walked over to Hocks's desk, his back to her. She moved closer to him, but still trying to keep her distance, which was no easy task. "There's just a couple of things" Riddick began, but then suddenly stopped, and turned her, "Hey, Jack mind stepping out for a sec? I need to talk to Hocks." It was a half request, half order. Jack groaned in protest, even though she knew she shouldn't argue. But just when it was getting interesting. He rolled his eyes, then walked over to her, "Go on, I'll be out soon." He said as gently. How could she refuse him when he did that? _She couldn't_, not when he used _tha_t tone voice. Jack nodded heading to the door. She hopped he would do Hocks a favor and help Minx out, for some reason she wanted to know her.


	3. Chapter 2 Riddick

Chapter 2: Riddick

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riddick watched Jack go out the door. She's getting more complicated by the day. He thought. "I don't want to be raising another teenage girl. Believe me, ones enough, but two? _I'm_ not even that tough." He explained, putting his palms on Hocks's desk. 

What was he going to do? He knew he owed numerous big-time favors to him. After-all he had saved his ass more then once in slam. But he had to be careful. He had a bounty too, he had mercs on his tail as well, what if she turned out to be one of them. Even though she was Hocks's niece, some people were driven by money, and for his capture, the pay-off was astronomical. It could corrupt even the best intentional people. Now to make matters worse, Jack wanted her around as well. He had felt her burst of excitement when Hocks introduced the wonderful proposition. Suddenly, he was shaken out of his thoughts by Hocks's spontaneous chuckle. 

"She doesn't need any raising Riddick." He said sarcastically, giving him a sly grin. Riddick looked at him for a moment, giving him a blank stare. Hocks's shook his head, " She's twenty-four years old. Very smart, and very street educated. She's been on her own since before Jack's age. " He paused to look at Riddick, a twinkle in his eyes, " Don't sound so sure of yourself. Right now you look like a deer caught in the head lights of a semi! She's seen too much of the world to be ignorant about life Poor kid." His features softened considerably. He suddenly sobered, not speaking. 

Riddick groaned. He got him, damn he was good at this passive persuasion stuff. "Great, now I have two females breathing down my neck." He stated plainly. Hocks smirked, "Look your particularly lucky. Me, I was the only boy out of five girls. Talk about NO privacy. Every guy on my block called be Honey instead of Hocks, and asked if I could crochet them some mittens for Christmas." He shook his head, "I got into a lot of fights as a teenager." Riddick chuckled to himself, trying to imagine Hocks knitting. "ListenRiddick. Since your doing me this favor," Hocks said it like it reeked something awful, he knew Hocks hated asking anyone for anything, "I'm giving ya' weekends off, Saturday and Sunday." He concluded, clapping him roughly on the shoulder. "Thanks." Riddick whispered, as if someone else was in the room. "No, thank you. Now get out of here." He said, walking back to his desk. Riddick nodded, and headed out the door. Well, he thought, at least Jack would be happy.

Riddick walked into the hall, like a shot Jack came running up to him, "Well Riddick?" Her eyes were wide with anticipation. Riddick inwardly sighed. What was so special to Jack about this girl? He wondered. " Jack, why You usually hate strangers?" He tried to ask as casually, and gently as he could. She shrugged and sighed. Looking a lot like Fry. "I donno. It might be cool to have another girl around. She has a record, even a bounty. She's definitelyprobably, not the prissy typeso," She was struggling with something. She wanted desperately to say something, but then again looked like she didn't exactly want to say it to **him**. "I, guessmaybe," She continued, staring down at her hands. Riddick put his hand on her shoulder. "Okay just slow down. Know that she might not turn out to be the way you expect her to be." He finished, she shook her head quietly, looking up at him with those big brown eyes or hers. He let out a sigh of relief, happy that moment was over. He hated to see her that way. 

They headed up to the third floor, down a dimly lit hallway, that suited him just fine. The only source light was from air vents on the baseboards. The floors were roughened stainless steal, and the doors had no frame. Everything was integrated into the walls, things slid out, dropped down, but eventually everything went back into it's original place, disappearing until it needed to be used. The walls had a dim sheen, that metal always had, the air smelled of machinery and scientifically generated air (which didn't smell too bad, once you got used to it). 

They got up to the room, a scanner ran across both their bodies. After a routine of clicking, whooshing, and mechanical cranking noises it finally concluded _'Accesses Granted.'_ The voice was impersonal, that of a computer. The door glided open to reveal another door, that was a replica of an 2000 old earth, hotel room door, with a retro peep hole and a card key slot. He remembered history documentation that said that once the people on earth, used metal keys that they had to turn in a lock to get into their homes.

The card key slot beeped and the door opened. It was larger then he expected. Furnished nicer then he was used to. It had everything. A food processor, a gas cooking stove, a laser powered microwave, a fridge. And in the livingroom was a nuclear low-radiation television that was about a quarter of an inch thick. Three rooms down the hall. Another room off to the side, that he guessed was a workout room. All in all it was the most comfortable he'd come across in years. He hoped they wouldn't be leaving for a while. He also hoped they didn't have any unwanted surprises or visitors for that matter. "Well Kid lets get unpacked. You know the drill." He said casually. Jack nodded. "_I know. I know._ Only unpack what you **absolutely** need, keep your duffel under your bed, and at night always lock your door, but never double lock it with an access code, so things don't get overly complicated if we have to get out." She stated in a bored monotone voice, as she headed down the hall. Since when did she get to be such a smart-ass, Riddick wondered. 

He headed down the hall to his own room. He chose the one closest to the door, just incase they had to run. The room was surprisingly very much to his liking. The bed was a king, and the bathroom and shower was in the same proportionshuge. Then he noticed a miniature hand-held plasma screen on his pillow. The screen said '_One new message'_ He picked it up and pressed play. Hocks's face appeared on the screen. "Thought you'd pick the room closest to the door, so everythin' should fit you well. Call me if your need anything else. You shouldn't need a bigger bed, if you get my drift." He said a smirk in his voice. Riddick smiled. Something's never changed.

__

Meanwhile.. 


	4. The Unknown Phone Call

Phone Call~ Unknown

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Galactic System Call Info

Time: 12:15 a.m.

Place calling From: Pluto II

Place calling To: Unknown

Type of call: Secured

Person receiving call: Unknown

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The warehouse was dark and cold. The man known as the "Boss" was the only one there. Too tired of waiting for the news he called the man who was handling it, Garrickson. On the first ring it picked up.

"Well?" He asked.

"We were successful." Garrickson stated, sounding nervous.

"Deo's dead?"

"Yes Sir. Shot in the chest once." 

"Not bad for a rookie merc. What about Minx, is she with you?" The boss asked. 

"No, she got away boss." 

He was suddenly furious.

"Look the deal was to kill Deo, then bring Minx and the money from the safe to me! You've got 72 hours, wire me the money, and bring the girl to me. If this is not done in 72 hours, your body will be underground in a wooden box. Ya Falla?" He slammed down the phone, enraged.

He had just killed his brother, and now his money and Minx were missing. He would get his money, and she would be his. 


	5. Chapter 3 Minx

Minx woke up in a blindingly white hospital room, with a bump on her head the size of a small galaxy system. She started to get uneasy when she realized that she couldn't remember a thing about how she'd gotten here, and why her head hurt.

A couple of hours passed and finally a nurse walked in. She was black, tall, and round. Graying and in her fifties, wearing a pair of granny spectacles carefully placed on her nose. She looked like a woman who could beat even the toughest of criminals senseless with her purse. Minx smiled groggily to herself, picturing the incident. _"Tonight a man was whacked to death by a graying old woman's imitation Gucci purse. FBI is currently raiding several bingo parlors in the Tri-valley area."_ She laughed out loud causing the nurse to give her a suspicious look. But then Minx sobered as the bump on her head pointedly throbbed. She cursed under her breath. Minx met her eyes then focused on sitting up in bed.

"How did I get here?" She asked suddenly alert.

"Well around three a.m. last night some thug brought you in here, said you fell down a flight of stairs and needed patching up." She paused to give her a look of 'yeah right.', then shrugged and got on with the story, "Coarse you don't get wounds like yours falling down the stairs. So after we asked him who he was and most of the nurse staff was finally satisfied, he dropped you off with us and left." She said, ending in yet another shrug.

Minx ran her hand through her hair, absently pulling at a knot that was being stubborn. "Who was he?" She asked as conversationally as possible.

The nurse gave her a weird look, "Said he was your boyfriend, although I didn't quite believe him. Guy like that," She gave a shudder, and screwed up her face, "Couldn't bag a girl like you."

Minx shrugged, "What did he look like?" She asked urgently, glancing at the door every few moments.

"5'9", all black clothes, walked with a distinct limp, had a British accent. Slightly overweight and had a very crooked nose. Smelled of booze and cigarettes."

A few minutes later she was out onto the street in front of the hospital, heading back to go get her rook sack in Dana's apartment. She knew she shouldn't but it was everything she owned, including weapons, which now she felt like she needed more than ever. She felt helpless and vulnerable without them. Just their reassurance seemed like everything.

She raced up the steps, relieved that she knew Dana. She could trust her, even with her life. Dana had been the sort of 'underground rail road' for Deo's identity ring. Dana had all the connections, smarts, skills, and technology to smuggle someone off the planet in under 72 hours, and yet no one ever suspected some prostitute in a brothel to know anything more than the obvious. It was her cover and she used it well.

Minx knocked on the door of her apartment quickly while looking around, and scanning her surroundings. Everything was quiet, almost too quiet.

After a long silent moment Dana pulled open the door. Her pale face looked relieved as she exaggeratedly rolled her eyes in relief and quickly pulled Minx into the apartment, her red curly hair flying furiously.

Locking the door behind her, she turned to look at Minx. "I'm so glad to see you, I came home and you were gone." She said softly, giving her a hug, and then suddenly pulled away, her eyes were wide, "You gave me a heart attack! What the hell happened to you?! All I got was this note that you were taken to a safer place by a friend. At least you could have told me were because I really"

"Wait a minute a note from a friend? What?" She asked, confused.

Dana nodded, "My reaction exactly, I knew you wouldn't just leave like that without telling me who, or where. So automatically it was something that made me worry."

Minx nodded her approval. "Look so far all I remember from last night was the door to my room getting flung open, hearing a riffle click and then everything went black."

Dana nodded, listening contently, her brow furrowed, it always did in cases such as this one. "Then this morning I woke up in a hospital about an hour from here." Suddenly Dana's eyes went wide. "What?" Minx asked, suddenly alarmed.

Dana just shook her head, "Never mind no time for that now, go on, and quickly." She urged.

Minx sighed shakily, her body on a fighting alert, her senses high, and her awareness like a bat's in the dead of night. "Well I asked the nurse and she told me the guy that brought me in last night claimed to be my boyfriend and said I fell down a flight of stairs." She paused to take a quick breath, then continued, " She described him as 5' 9", all black clothes, walked with a distinct limp, had a British accent. Slightly overweight, and had a very crooked nose. Smelled of booze and cigarettes." She threw up her hands, in a gesture of utter puzzlement. "My only guess is that he's a merc."

Dana nodded quickly, "Well the weird thing is that a guy fitting that description was seen with a guy who looked exactly like D-" But suddenly the doorbell rang.

A look of uncertainty spread across her face, as she shoved Minx toward the closet, "Don't talk just listen, in the closet there's this hidden compartment, a little door that's shaped like a lopsided triangle, turn the latch and hide inside, it has a," She paused as the door gave three more urgent rings, "Just a minute, I'll be right there." She turned and looked back at Minx, then lowered her voice once again whispering, "There's a built in screen in the wall, just feel for it, inside there's also a door that leads to the closet in the apartment next to mine. Two more secret doors on your right in that secret passage, and you will get to the outside hall way. Whatever you do, DO NOT TURN ON ANY LIGHTS!" With that said Dana pushed her into the closet and shut the door.

Minx moved forward, putting her hands out in front of her to feel for the wall or the compartment instead she felt something suede and familiar in shape, her rook sack! Throwing it over her shoulder she moved forward until her left hand hit a crack in the wall. Her fingers trailed down, and found a gap, putting her fingers quickly into it and finding a discreet hinge.

Moving her right hand further along the wall she found a second crack. Mimicking her previous move she trailed her fingers down, to find it was yet another angle. But this time it was longer then the last, a lopsided triangle. She gently pushed at the crack on the right side and it immediately gave, silently traveling until it stopped.

She folded herself into the tiny pace, holding her breath while silencing a groan from stretching her already aching body.

She now felt for the computer screen and thankfully found it quicker then she had the door. Slowly she swiveled it around to face her. Soon as it was in place it flickered to life, instantly displaying a screen split into twelve individual boxes all surveying a miniature view of Dana's apartment. The last square showed a miniature version of the closet near the front door where the secret compartment and she was hidden.

She swallowed as she felt a cold sweat form on her upper body, seeing who had come into Dana's apartment. Standing at an average height and wearing all black clothes, he walked over to her living room, his walk uneven.

As he sat down in Dana's over stuffed leather chair his stomach bulged out. Minx hit the button labeled zoom and angled it so that she zeroed in on his face, his nose was crooked. Then as if to confirm her intuition the sound kicked on.

"So who are you? I'd like a name before you search my house!" Dana said smartly, her body in a fighting stance.

"Me names George Taylor, sweet cheeks" The guy pronounced it G_ee_orge Tay_lah_, a British accent. It was the Merc from the night before. Her blood boiled, the only thing she hated more than going to prison was mercs. They were one group of heartless killing machines.

Minx watched as the Merc moved throughout the apartment, Dana on his heels. At last, he returned to the door that he'd come though, looking disgusted and thoroughly pissed-off at his obvious non-eventful raid.

He was about to leave when he pointed to the closet next to the front door, "Forgot one," He smirked, she froze as she watched him walk over to the closet door and open it. She spun the monitor around and turned on the tips of her feet barley clearing the opposing wall. She fanatically felt for the other door that led to the outside hall. She finally found it in front of her then gave it a slight push. Just like the other, it gave.

She pulled herself through and was about to move forwards when her boot got caught between the door and the wall. She gave her leg a tug and felt her boot come free just as the door to the secret compartment began to open. She closed the door to the hall when suddenly the door began to move. Minx's eyes widened as she looked for something to prop it closed with but nothing was around.

She did the only thing that came to mind and laid on her back, placing her feet firmly on either side of the door. It began to move once again, she pushed forward with her legs, bracing herself with the back of her arms to immobilize her. She stayed as still as a rock, keeping her legs locked, as the Merc gave the door another trying push, she applied more strength to her legs, stopping the door from moving. Her legs began to burn as the pressure on the opposite side of the door gradually stopped.

She leaned back as the pain shot through her body, then pain killers they had given her at the hospital wearing off again. She rested her head on her rook sack then her head hit something metal. Turning her body at the waist she reached into the sack, and pulled out two mini crow bars. She dropped her head then felt like a fool for forgetting they had been there. She stuck them back in the sack, knowing if she used them to prop the door closed, that no one on the other side could get out, and that could prove to be fatal in a situation like hers.

She pressed on, ignoring her aching joints and tingling wounds. Minx remembered Dana saying something about two more secret doors on the right would lead to the outside hall way. She counted two more doors and pushed the third, opening it, and sure enough it opened onto the outside hall way.

She looked down the hallway in both directions, deciding it was clear she began to walk down the hall. Then from behind her a familiar British accent caught her attention. "She's gone, we only have 48 more hours to find her ass and bring it back to the boss."

Suddenly she felt eyes beating into her back. "Hey!" He yelled after her, as she began to run. "You with the rook sack."

She knew that it would give her away. _Such was the price of fashion._ She thought cynically, picking up the pace while desperately trying to come up with a half baked plan. It didn't have to be intricate or clever, just something that would save her ass and _fast_!

She rounded the corner as her brain snapped into overdrive. She pushed a man into the elevator hoping it would throw them off, but only the backup was fooled, not the British one.

She cursed and then rounded another corner, almost colliding with a repair man on a ladder doing something with the tiles on the ceiling. That's when she noticed, it was one of those cheap office building ceilings were the tiles only stayed up there by resting on thin metal strips. She heard the sound of someone running from around the corner and saw the opening in the ceiling.

She climbed around on the other side of the ladder and stepped on the very top of it hoisting herself up into the ceiling. She bit her lip as she felt the tiles shift under her weight, they could easily fall down at any moment.

She held her breath and prayed that the tiles would hold her weight. Hearing nothing she slid open the tile under her, sure enough there was the Merc looking around. She felt something sink as the tile crashed to the floor that was supporting her right leg, drawing his attention up. He saw her and shot up into the ceiling missing her by one tile about a foot away. _Damn._

He fired five more shots sending plaster flying everywhere. Her eyes stung and watered as the excess attacked her eyes, making her loose her balance and send another tile falling to the ground nearly missing his head.

He quickly moved out of the way, when she put the two together and began wiggling the tiles loose and sending them falling down on his head. "Let the games begin!" Minx screamed in frustration. He dodged the first three then took the next two clean on his balding head. It took another three to semi-knock him out.

Just as she began to move, the other tiles and metal strips gave out, sending her falling to the ground. She looked behind her only to see the other Merc coming around the corner. She struggled to her feet once again, and felt a strange sense of de ja vous.

Running down the hall she looked out a window to see a garbage chute. She turned her eyes back in front of her, ready to run but stopped abruptly and read the sign, Non-fire incinerator. _Good._

She eased herself into the chute, sending her down a kiddy type slide. She saw day light quickly approaching. The sun reflected off the polished metal and blinded her eyes. Closing them, she sensed more then saw herself land in the pile of garbage bags. With a soft thud behind her, came her rook sack, giving her a hit on the back of the head.

She swore violently, getting tired of running from mercs, ending up flying down multi-story buildings and always landing on her ass. She felt her body starting to shut down, her sight blur, and her limbs go weak. She pushed fatigue aside and climbed over the edge of the dumpster, heading toward the space port.

Two weeks ago she had contacted her uncle, a man named Hocks who was in the freight business. He agreed to help her to get off the planet in exchange for her working on his commercial freighter.

She was headed to the stealthy but seedy Nebula 10. It was a deep space planet that when it was found was never recorded on the legal star maps, therefore the mercs were oblivious to the fact that it existed. There she could at least be among her own, maybe even start up the identity ring again.

She wove in and out of the crowd. Although there were some uniformed monkeys, there were about twice as many couples, and through it all she felt someone's eyes following her every move. She stopped and went down a dark baggage container. She waited a full ten second then reemerged, breathing easier when the second pair of eyes had disappeared.

She made her way up to the reservation desk where a ridiculously perky blonde greeted her. It was like she snorted caffeine in between customers or something and Minx was definitely not in the mood.

"May I help you miss?" She asked a permanent toothy grin on her pencil thin lips.

Minx's stomach clenched, as she remembered the first time she punched someone very much like the blonde before her. She gave 'Stacy' a fake smile of her own, feeling sick to her stomach.

"Yes, I need to check on my cabin on the Lone Star, number 305." Minx said almost matching her sweetness. Stacy nodded her head and typed into the computer in front of her.

A look of confusion spread across her face, "Hum, that's odd the compartment has been cancelled, just this morning. I'm Sorry." She said.

"What?" Minx said, anger creeping into her voice.

"Yes. A man called and cancelled it just this morning. Some guy with a British accent." She said looking around the space port as if to find him. Minx could only nod. Now what was she going to do? She thought turning away from the desk.

She found a Comm station and called Hocks, just as she was about to dial the number, the chair she was sitting on was knocked out from beneath her.

She struggled as they pined to the ground, but nothing worked, whoever it was, was twice her size and then some. She couldn't see who it was because when they pinned her, her face was to the floor. She felt her arm pulled straight as a needle pierced her skin.

In a few moments her whole world went fuzzy, and with her last coherent breath in she realized the air smelled of booze and cigarettes.


	6. Chapter 4 Hocks

Chapter 4: Hocks

__

*Shot chapter I know, but bear with me, I'm working on the next chapter, and it's gonna be a fairly long one*

****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks men I'll take it from here." Hocks commanded gruffly, turning Minx around on the floor, so she laid on her back. "No problem govnah. But the boss didn't tell us about you." Garrickson replied. Hocks shrugged slightly, "Why would he?" He said shoving past the two mercs to retrieve his case of syringes. "He'll wire you the money in the morning." The nameless merc beside Garrickson put in. Hocks looked from one merc to the other shaking his head, and drawing his laser out casually. "That won't do. I want the money now. As agreed with your boss: payment upon the act of service that was promised." Hocks said quietly, gesturing to Minx with his gun. 

"You have to talk to the boss about that conflict." The merc said, a nasty sense of power in his voice. Hocks looked at him, "I don't think that's necessary." Hocks said, keeping his tone even. Letting no rage spill through.

"Oh I" The merc began, but Hocks didn't let him finish, as he drew his gun quickly and shot the merc dead were he stood. Garrickson looked at Hocks, fear and hatred in his eyes, but that didn't phase him as Hocks stepped closer to Garrickson, until he was looking down into his pudgy face. "Look, I caught her for you, your boss owes me my money, my cut of the deal. I know you have it!" He said fiercely, holding the tip of his laser gun just under his jaw. Garrickson nodded shortly, then handed a small card to Hocks, who smiled wickedly.

"Good boy." He chided. Backing the merc up until he was up against the door. "Now get your sorry ass out of my sight!" He whispered, opening the door then shoving Garrickson out into the hall. He fell on his butt, at the feet of two of Hocks's guards. "Take him where he wants but no where near my dock. You know what to do." He ordered to the two men. "Yes sir." They said roboticly, roughly picking up Garrickson, and dragging the other dead merc away. 

He closed the door chuckling. 

Meanwhile 


	7. Chapter 5 Riddick

Chapter 5: Riddick

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Friday night. The ship departed tomorrow, and it had been three days since they boarded. He'd worked hard in the lower decks of the ship repairing, replacing, upgrading, and installing everything mechanical under the sun. Riddick was looking forwards to his weekend off. 

Sitting next to Jack on the white sued sofa, he was slowly beginning to relax. Although apart of him still felt like he should be looking over his shoulder, constantly on alert, always waiting for something to happen. He shoved it aside and tried to concentrate on just relaxing and watching the evening news.

Jack shifted next to him, she'd been acting funny lately, always hyper or something. She finally settled, but by the next commercial brake, she moved again, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Then putting her hand on her head and taking it away. She went on like this for another ten minutes before Riddick couldn't take it anymore. 

"Something wrong Jack?" He asked, slightly annoyed. Jack looked at him, crossing her legs again, then uncrossing them. "No, just feel like doing something, instead of watching the boring news." She paused to look at her chrono watch. "Hey lets watch Zane 51, it's on in like eight minutes." She said quickly. Riddick rolled his eyes, "Jack Zane 51's a chick flick, why don't you try an just watch the news for once." Riddick said, looking at the screen. He watched the news to gain info about people, and there whereabouts, or his whereabouts for that matter. 

"You know your getting boring in you old age." Jack muttered, knowing he'd hear it. " Jack common, it's only been what a year since you've met me?" Riddick countered. Jack rolled her eyes, "Yeah well, you confuse me. You wanna watch the boring news, instead of watching some chicks bounce around doing flips an' stuff, I thought guys were suppose to like that sort of thing." She said with a shrug. 

Riddick laughed. She was smarter then she let on to be, that meant he had to be more careful of what he said around her. He shook his head still chuckling. "Look your right Kid. But I do think about other things believe it or not!" He joked. She sifted again, this time lightly bouncing on the sofa. He rolled his eyes, "Can't sit still?" He asked. She shook her head, as the news came back on. 

__

"We interrupt this normal planned programming to bring you a broadcast from the Galactic News Service live from Arenia 7" 

The screen flickered to a news room, and an attractive blue eyed news anchor. 

__

"As you know, about month ago the infamous Deo McGraw was shot, during a merc raid on the east side of Pluto ll. But only now are the discrepancies and true identity of this immense criminal being publicly reported." She said roboticly, looking to the left of her a screen appeared, showing what Deo looked like. 

Definite high cheekbones, piercing hazel eyes, tanned skin, black hair, goatee, and he looked like a gangster. From one of those old earth early 1920's movies. Jack stopped fidgeting, and was still. "Kinda cute." He heard her whisper. Riddick smirked, shaking his head. 

She grabbed the remote and turned up the sound. 

__

"McGraw was known through out the underworld of the universe as The Father. He was the boss in a highly successful identity creation ring. Which created new versions of the things that make up identities. Including i.d.'s, birth chips, social security numbers, and the most intricate and expensive of them all The Deletion. The price for this service can range anywhere from 200 thousand to 2 million dollars. The Deletion is a felony job. That consists of a computer hacker going into merc and law enforcement databases. Once inside the hacker then deletes all existing records on the customer. The hacker then can also corrupt the programs the authorities may use to retrieve the files. And without a record there are no grounds for arrest. This service was usually done by Deo's alleged partner and rumored girlfriend, Jennifer Valence. But better known in the trade simply as Minx." 

The screen changed to a picture of her, Minx. She was smaller then he thought, she had long black hair, and a nice body. Trim, but larger for her height. She maybe weighed somewhere around 140 lbs. Not petite by any means. Her arms were well muscled, and so were her legs. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, he thought to himself. He heard Jack quietly gasp, which took Riddick by surprise. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. She shrugged, "What?" She questioned, looking a little surprised. 

Riddick turned his attention back to the news broad cast. Which was now talking about Deo again.

__

"Born Deo Jake McGraw, only child of the notorious Italian mobster, Heath McGraw, Deo picked up the rebellious side from his father. And at the age of twelve he already had a healthy criminal record. Including, grand theft auto, massive looting, possession of a gun, and the list goes on." She paused to show a charred building, that looked like it lost about two stories, from a massive explosion. _"This is the building where he ran his Identity ring. About a month ago, one night, it all ended. The facility was raided by mercs, in the end everything was destroyed, Deo was killed, it was all over."_ She paused for a moment, trying to make it more dramatic.

Riddick wondered about how Minx fit into all of this. "What about Minx, you bimbo?" Jack asked the TV screen, slightly annoyed. Riddick looked at her. She had moved to the front of her seat, and was staring intently at the screen, almost burning holes in it with her eyes. The news woman continued. 

__

"There are two mysteries that still remain. Minx escaped the merc's hostile takeover, but was not found, and her whereabouts are still unknown. But the bigger mystery was formed this afternoon at the scene of the identity ring. Law enforcement officials are highly skeptical that this was entirely merc fueled, after five identifiable mercs and police officers were found murdered in the dumpster in a side ally next to the building. All the officials are wondering, 'was this an inside job, did this involve another massive criminal.' But the captain of the group of mercs released a statement that all fifteen men were present at the raid." She said, reading from a white slip of paper. But quickly continued.

__

"But when asked if all the men were his, the captain refused to answer. Another anonymous source states that the captain of the squad was not present during the raid." She paused as another piece of paper was handed to her, _"Word has just been given to me. Enforcement has also reported that the illegally acquired 500 billion dollars they expected to confiscate from the raided establishment was also taken during the raid. The case still remains a mystery."_ She said.

__

"The Father is dead, however the family is still alive. His partner, and the money are reported missing. The take over of his kingdom is currently being questioned as being legit and clean. Suspicions are arising, even about the team of mercs that raided itfrom the Galactic News Service live from Arenia 7, this is Celia Holdenbrow, goodnight." The screen went black. 

500 billion dollars, Riddick thought. Shaking his head. His brain was buzzing at all the new info he just learned, even thought he had learned over the years to not completely trust the news, he still found it intriguing. So she was a computer hacker, interesting. Jack sprung up into a standing position. "You think Hocks knows where she is Riddick? You think they killed her? What about all that money? Can you believe it, 500 billion!" She said, talking so fast he could almost not understand her. Riddick shook his head, and grasped her shoulder. 

"Kid all I know is with that much money no merc could possibly get it all by themselves. It takes a lot of people to get that much money away from a scene without causing one themselves. Also, it would look too strange, for one person to walk into a bank and just deposit 500 billion, even a quarter of that would turn heads. As for Minx," He paused to shake his head, apart of him already starting to wonder about her, "Never under estimate Hocks. Now, I think you should work off some that hyper energy, you got a whole room, have at it." He said steering her towards the work out room. She stopped at the door and looked at him, "Riddick?" 

He turned, "Yeah?" He asked, quickly getting tired. "Why did you say yes to Hock's and let Minx stay with us?" She asked slowly. " I told you Jack, apart of me died on that planet." He said quietly, not knowing why he'd just told her. He was guessing he was starting to loose his grip on reality because of the fatigue he felt at the moment. Jack nodded. Her face was serious, and understanding. "Plus, you think Hocks would let me say no?" He asked, smirking. "Probably not." Jack said calmly , disappearing around the corner. 

Riddick walked into his room. Taking off his shirt, he plopped down onto his king sized bed. Sinking into it he let out a deep sigh, as he wrapped the blanket around him. His body went lax, as his eyes started to close. But his mind was still humming. The picture from the news broadcast of Minx still fresh in his memory, he drifted into exhausted sleep.


	8. Chapter 6 Minx

Chapter 6: Minx

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's note: *I don't own anything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the character, Spike.* These characters will only be used twice or more. But they are not apart of the story. There isn't any vampire slaying! Just merc kicking. Lol!

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again she woke up in a blindingly bright white room. But no sunlight drifted in this time, and no huge bump on her head, only a slightly sore arm, and aching tail bone. She cursed not knowing where she was, again. She didn't know how the mercs caught up with her, or how they snuck up on her so fast. All she knew was she was probably on her way to a female form of slam. Deo would have gone to slam too if he hadn't. _don't think about that! _She whispered out loud. She missed him terribly. For those first few nights she couldn't sleep. Every night she'd always slept in his bed, with him curled next to her. But ever since that night he died, her bed was cold and lonely, not only her bedbut her entire life. Shaking it off, while wiping a tear, she heaved a tired sigh.

Minx was so tired of being knocked out, and having to run from mercs that she didn't know if she could do it again. "Lights to 30%." She groaned sitting up in her bed. Just then the door opened. She held her breath, hoping it wasn't that merc who knocked her out the first time. But it turned out to be Hocks. She relaxed, and let a ghost of a smile show, as she slumped back against her pillows. "How are ya Jen?" Hocks asked, taking a seat beside her bed. She almost didn't answer, not used to being called her real name. She smiled. "Oh, I've been better. I'm glad to see you though. Because I was about to call you, then some dip shit knocked me out. That's the second time this week. When I get my hands on that asshole I'm gonna," But she stopped when she saw the big smile on his face. "What?" She asked, a smile creeping onto her face as well. "I donno how to tell you this but.the asshole is closer then you think." He said, still smiling. Although it had faded some. Suddenly Minx was confused. "Huh?" She said, looking at him. "I knocked you out." Hocks said plainly. 

"Oh really. Why?" She asked suddenly defensive and worried. Did I fall into a trap here, is he working for the mercs? Her mind suddenly sprang into overdrive. No! This can't happen, not my own family. She must've looked worried, because Hocks touched her arm. "It's nothing like that. I'll tell you everything once you get some rest, you're safe now." He said reassuringly. Minx shook her head, "I appreciate that Hocks, but, I want to know what's going on." She said, noticing how he wasn't meeting her eyes. "Jen, I don't think you wanna," But she cut him off. "Listen Hocks you have no idea what I've been through lately. My best friend in the entire world went into hiding, my job, all my money, accounts and credits have been frozen, and to top it all off my boyfriend was shot dead right in front of me, so whatever it is your going to tell me, is no worse then what I have been through, or what I am expecting!" She was yelling now. And it wasn't until her vision blurred, that she realized that she was crying. 

Minx blinked quickly trying to clear her eyes, while quickly turning away from him. She didn't want to loose her cool like that, in front of any body. She felt the bed shift under her as Hocks sat next to her on the bed, his arm slung around her shoulders. She let herself be pulled into a hug, even though she felt like she was too old for them. "I had no idea all that happened. I should have known, but I was so blinded by getting you here, that I didn't think about it." He said quietly. "What were you going to tell me?" She asked, whiping a tear off her cheek again. "You need some rest." Hocks said. She broke away from him, "Hocks what did I just say?" She asked stubbornly. He shook his head, and threw up his hands in utter defeat. "Alright, I'll tell you. Jen your as stubborn as your mother. When we were kids she'd ask me something, and if I wouldn't tell her she'd bug me all day." He stopped at the look she gave him.

Minx was worried about what he was going to tell her, she knew Hocks was never the type to beat around the bush, so this had to be something big, maybe even threatening. She held her breath once again, bracing herself for what was to come. "I'll tell you, but on one condition." He said firmly. Minx nodded, watching him carefully. "Don't go after anymore information on this subject on my ship, or anywhere else. This is a dangerous game, that you play with your life. No information is worth that." He stated firmly.

"I had a guy come in to my office about two weeks ago, right after you contacted me. He asked me about you, and your whereabouts. I played dumb, but I could tell he didn't fully believe me." He paused to shift in his seat. She waited patiently, but wanting to know desperately. Finally he continued, "I asked him if he needed any assistance finding you, and he said yes. Then handed me a cell phone. Before I knew it, I was talking to 'The Boss', a guy that goes by the name of, Salvador Jackson." He paused, "Do you know of him?" He asked warily. "No." She said, starting to get antsy. "I'll get to that later but, anyway, I offered to capture you and then hand you over to him, but only on the condition that you come to my space port, with the thought in mind that my ship would be here to take you away. Of course he had no idea of my hidden agenda, so he agreed and I cancelled your cabin. I didn't intend for anyone else to reserve it though but there was a slight complication."

"What type of complication?" Minx asked, wanting to know everything about the circumstances of her escape. "Well the guys in security detected some outside surveillance of our activities, by Jackson. Turns out Jackson knew your cabin number, before hand. Any activity on that and we'd be suspicious. So, when it was taken, I couldn't do anything about it." He finished, but Minx could tell that he knew more. 

"What else? Didn't you run a background check on this Jackson?" She asked firmly. Hocks nodded gravely, "Yeah." He said, not offering anything else. "Well?" She asked stubbornly. He let out a long sigh, "This Jackson character was linked to Deo." He stated bluntly, acting as if he'd just eaten something awful. Minx eyes widened, "How?" She asked. Hocks just shrugged. "Well he was a business partner for the most part, but this mourning I found something in one of our background check flies." He stood to walk across the room, where on a table there was a stainless steal brief case waiting for him. 

It was slim, and in the dim light it looked particularly dark. He hit a button and a mini scanner popped up from the top of the lid, with a soft beep. He put his palm flat on the scanner, a few seconds later simultaneously the latches popped. He opened the lid swiftly, taking out a credit card, that was covered with a silver type material, that formed a pocket around the card. A rectangular device that she couldn't see. Along with the card and the rectangular thing, he brought a manila colored folder. Soundlessly closing the brief case, he sat next to her again. Although he didn't rush to hand either of the items to her. He just briskly opened the folder and took out a thin sheet of paper. It was the type that left no finger prints. She looked onto the piece of paper and found it was a list of names. 

Salvador Jackson Lyle Richards Mark Hallburg Jerry Talon Rose Valstrom Salvador Jackson Guy Riff 

Minx knew about hit lists but, as far as she knew they never had the same name on the list twice. "Hocks I know what this is, but how can you hit the same person twice, I mean kill someone twice?" Hocks shook his head, "This is a pre-hit list. These people owed Deo money. Jackson's on there twice, because he took out two loans from him, and also he probably owes him twice as much as anyone else on that list." Minx's head spun with questions. 

"But why would he be out for me, Deo's dead," She said, choking on the words, "so the debt is paid, I don't have anything." Hocks shook his head. "I donno. But this guy is bad news. He has connections, but also many enemies. Including Deo. But this concerns you now. For some strange reason he wants desperately to find you. He had eight mercs out already. But they are personal mercs, thugs. You know the type." He paused to look at her, she met his gaze. "What else do you know about him?" She asked, almost afraid to find out.

He handed her another sheet of paper. This time it was a criminal record. 

Murder----Second Degree------Guilty----Life in Prison Illegal Weapon Imports [stolen military explosives, high intensity cannons, laser parts, ect.]----Guilty----Fine of: $250,000 {universal credits} Illegal Change of Identity---Guilty---Fine of: $2500.00 {universal credits} Reoccurring hijackings, and theft of commercial ships and cars---guilty---Life in Prison. 

She read farther and found more information:

Murder----Second Degree------Guilty----No time surved Illegal Weapon Imports [stolen military explosives, high intensity cannons, laser parts, ect.]----Guilty----Fine pending Illegal Change of Identity---Guilty---Fine pending Reoccurring hijackings, and theft of commercial ships and cars---guilty---No time surved 

-------------------No time served time still due.----------------------Fine pending fine still due.---- 

Bounty----Alive: $50,000-----Dead: $75,000----current status: Alive---

She looked up from the paper. "Okay so what their saying is simple. He's guilty of all these charges but they've never been able to catch up with him, so he still owes over $250,000 in fines, and his life in prison. Not to mention he's worth more dead then alive, which makes no sense to me, the plot is thickening, but I still don't see where any of this has to do with me, except that I was involved with Deo." She explained, as Hocks was nodding his head. He was silent for a while, until Minx spoke again. 

"Maybe he thinks I know something, have something he wants, like Deo's money perhaps." She said with a shrug. "I donno how to tell you this but, I found something else this morning I think you should see." He handed her another piece of paper, this time it was a bank statement. "This was current yesterday, notice the amount that was deposited." He said quietly pointing at the box labeled deposit amount, "Twenty Five Billion Dollars." Minx whispered out loud. Her mouth dropping open. Hocks chuckled "Keep in mind that it isn't worth as much as you think. Some planets that's only worth about a quarter of that, more like a million. And you and I both know that a good house in a safe neighborhood costs over 25 billion. So that money isn't as much as it should be." He said pointing to the statement. "Yeah, but where's the rest of it?" She asked curiously. 

Hocks broke her gaze, and picked up the credit card that he's removed from the brief case earlier, wordlessly he held it up for her to see. But didn't hand it to her, instead he gave her a mini plasma screen, that was flashing '_one new text message.' _"Didn't you read it before hand?" She asked, looking up at him. "No, the guys in security tried, but found out that the message only showed if _you_ and you only pressed _your_ thumb print on it." He said. She shook her head. "But how would he know if you tried to open it anyway?" Minx asked looking down and the flashing screen. Hocks shook his head, "This thing is pretty heavily secured, it had a tracing device in it that my boys managed to take out. And it also had some really hairy viruses lurking in it too. So whatever it's protecting is pretty important to Jackson." He said, in a now more serious and solemn tone.

Minx felt beads of sweat form on her face, neck, and shoulders. The air in the room intense. She breathed deeply and pressed the ON button. The screen changed from text to a small box, that read, "thumb print required, press here." 

She pressed her thumb to the box, and it beeped quietly. She felt the whole thing vibrate in her hands. After a moment the screen changed, flashing text appeared, _"Authorizing.please wait." _Suddenly the door opened, a pretty red-headed nurse appeared in the door frame, "Sir, there's a man waiting for you in you office, a Kyle Gets." She said, no smile existent in her voice. Hocks nodded, "Tell him I'll be right up." He said in a firm voice. The door closed then he looked back at Minx, "This is important. He's my financial partner. I have to get up there." He said casually, with a roll of his eyes. She nodded. "Thanks." She said softly. The screen was still flashing the annoying, _"Authorizing.please wait." _Hocks collected the brief case, and opened the door, "Any time. I'll be back tomorrow to get you settled in the ship, and talk about your job and living situation. Lock up those thing when your done with them, in that cabinet over you bed, and lock it with your hand print. If you need something ring the nurses." Before she could question a thing, Hocks closed the door behind him and was gone. 

Minx roughly dropped back onto the pillows, as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Her eyes were starting to get heavy. She was starting to doze off, but was abruptly awakened by the beeping of the almost happily forgotten plasma screen. She looked down as the it changed screens again, now slowly flashing, _"Opening file..."_ She sighed heavily, "Just get on with it!" She said out loud to the now quiet device. The screen flashed, and did a little animated flip, as it sounded a little alarm, much like wind chimes. A second later a message appeared. It was medium in length, and was all italics. She stared to read, and was immediately thrown by the greeting at the beginning of the letter. 

__

Darling, 

Please accept this as a token of my deep affection. You probably don't know who I am, but in time you will. You've worked hard for this money, and I feel you deserve to have it now. I am sorry about Deo, and you have my deepest condolences, we were very close friends, even to the point of being practically family. 

I am not going to turn you in to the mercs, I'm not an enemy, more like a friend. I've watched and loved you for a long time. Hopefully you'll learn to trust me. 

Yours truly,

Sal 

P.S. Insert the credit card in the slot on the right side of this screen and it will activate. If you want the other half of the 500 billion you'll have to come to me, although I warn you I do think of the other half as mine.

With that the screen went blank. She put it down beside her thigh, and thought for a moment. Why did he think of half of the money as his? Why had he called her darling? How did he get off with being one of Deo's close friends and not knowing her? What did he mean by having been in love with her for a long time? And lastly the thing that tested her comfort was the last question, What did he mean by in time she'd know him? She was so confused, and decided that the only thing that could possibly calm her was a shower. 

She almost rang the nurse when she remembered what Hock said. She gathered the credit card, the manila file, the papers, and lastly the plasma screen, and put them into the metal cabinet above her bed. She looked around the room for anything she might have missed, then noticed the dim light reflecting off a piece of plastic. She walked over to where it lay by the door. It must have fell out of Hock's pocket. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands so she could see the front. It was a white plastic badge, with a picture of a young looking merc. Looking something like that vampire on that old earth TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike. He had the almost white spiked blonde hair, like him, and everything else was also almost identical. She remembered how her best friend Raven used to almost obsess over that show, but mostly just over Spike. 

She reopened the cabinet over her bed then put the badge on top of everything else. Before re-locking it she gave the room a second once over, then when she found nothing she locked it again. "That better be all for the night, enough surprises." She said out loud with a exasperated sigh. She got back into bed and rung the nurse. A few minutes later, a nurse walked in. "Can I help you Miss Valance?" She asked kindly. Minx looked at her and stifled a laugh, "Pleaseer" She paused to decide which name to use. "Call me Jenny." She said with a slight smile. The nurse nodded. She was skinny and bird like, with pale skin, and big black eyes, her blond hair was up in a tight old-maid's bun. "Uh, I was just wondering, where can I get a shower around here?" Minx asked, looking around her room, she noticed a door that had no handle. The nurse nodded, and pushed open the door that Minx had just laid eyes on. "Here. Do you need any help?" She asked. Minx shook her head, "No don't think so. Does it have shampoo and soap?" Minx asked getting out of the bed. "Yes, it should." She held the door open for Minx. 

Minx was wondering why she was treating her with such a fuss. "Just a warning the hot is scalding, so stay within the cold to warm zone on the knobs." She warned. Minx nodded. "Thanks." She said, feeling like she should saw something else. "Is that all?" The nurse asked, her tone still that of a servant. Minx nodded. "Goodnight." She said and was gone. 

After the shower she felt renewed, and her body felt calm. It was just her mind that was still tense, as the questions of earlier buzzed around her mind, clamoring for attention. She stretched out in bed and groaned as a thought occurred to her. If all the bunks and cabins were full, that meant that she would have to be a roommate with someone. Thoughts of who Hocks would possibly trust clouded her mind. It came to her in a flash, his only real friend was another ex-con from Slam! "No it couldn't be." Minx said quietly, to no one in particular. "Could it?" She said. Thinking about him she remembered the story she heard about the woman from the brothel that swore he had been one of her customers. She recalled the pictures from the news, but drew a blank. Shaking her head she closed her eyes, but sleep was long time coming. At 3 am, her mind finally joined her body in sleep. 

Meanwhile a meeting was being called in a warehouse on the east side of Pluto ll. Where the now only seven of the eight mercs were sitting at a long conference table, along with a couple of other people, who were new comers. They were all waiting for The Boss, Sal Jackson. 


	9. Chapter 7 A Second Death in the Family

Chapter 7: Jackson

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat in the cold office overlooking the entire warehouse. It was rectangular, with gray walls, except the one that faced the warehouse was all glass windows, that were knew frosted over by the extreme cold. It was winter on Pluto ll. He breathed out, then slowly in. Suddenly coughing, as his lungs froze up. 

He knew they were all down there waiting for him. Waiting for his next plan, but he had none, not yet anyway. When Garrickson came back this afternoon and told him that Blazer was dead, and was shot by Hocks. He felt angry, but not as betrayed as when he found out that Hocks had taken Minx away. He almost killed Garrickson on the spot for his foolishness. But he still had another two hours before the 72 hours were up. He was a man of his word and never went back on it either. 

Although he was now having second thoughts about keeping his word and killing Garrickson right now. His life and money was on the line. If the real boss found out that Minx and the money wasn't returning to him tonight, Jackson knew he would be dead by tomorrow evening.

He was about to loose hope, when he remembered the second tracing device he installed in the software. When it was opened it would trace where they were, and in the worst case just report that it had been opened, and who it was opened by. 

Gut then there was a knock at his door. "What!" He said gruffly. His back to the door. "It's Val." Val was one of his top men, his most trusted. "Come in." He said shortly. "Sir we have a transmission from our spy." He said quietly. Jackson turned in his chair and faced him. "Bring it to me." He commanded. Val nodded slightly. A moment later he returned with a sheet of paper, and wordlessly handed it to him. "That's all."

Val left him. Jackson quickly unfolded it, to reveal a message. It was short and to the point, but left out where he was. 

__

Hocks has the girl and the money. He left the space port nine hours ago. The card has not been activated, and but the message has been read by the girl. Her whereabouts however is unknown at this time, we cannot trace the ship. Agent 4.

Jackson crumpled up the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. How did he lose the control of this so fast? He wondered.

Suddenly he got the idea. They could still track the coarse of Hock's ship. Getting out of his chair, he headed down stairs to his group of men. 

When he came down stairs everyone stood up, including Garrickson who didn't look Jackson in the eyes. Jackson felt the anger well up inside of him at the sight of Garrickson, but decided to deal with him later.

"Let's get on with business. Val move the security into place at all exits and entrances." He waited a moment for Val to give the signal to start the meeting. It took a moment longer then expected, when suddenly gun shots rang through the air, hitting a gas line and sending everything up in flames.

Jackson ran to the opposing wall and the second gas line caught and set two of his eight men on fire. Garrickson rolled out of the way in time before the flames hit the wood pile in the corner. 

Screams could be heard from out side. Unexpectedly an armored truck came bounding through the front of the warehouse, sending debris flying, and adding to the flames. He began to crawl on the ground to the armored truck, seeing Val inside. 

Jackson grabbed the riffle that was close by, and held it in his left hand, for his own protection. The fire seemed to stop traveling, but the flames grew higher. Just as Jackson reached the truck, there was a muffled sound of engines in the distance accompanied by sirens. He jumped into the truck, and Garrickson followed.

Val backed up quickly, running over something, but put in drive and plowed forwards. The sirens became louder as a voice came over the radio. "Stop, Salvador Jackson you are under arrest. Stop the truck." But Val sped up, now pushing the battered truck from fifty to one seventy in a matter of seconds, as the turbo charger kicked in, thrusting them forwards, as the force of the speed pushed down on them.

They neared a freeway on ramp swerving around a slowly cruising car. Suddenly the truck swerved and swayed dangerously as one of the back tires was shot out by the pursuing mecs. Val cursed loudly as they wove and continued to swerve on the road, through lanes, and around cars. They flew up the freeway entrance, almost air born, and off the ground. Leaving the mercs behind. But not for long as they saw head lights in the mirrors of the truck. "You know where to go V." Jackson ordered quickly. Val nodded, just barely scraping around another car, and dodging a semi. 

There was a hissing noise as sparks began to fly. "What the hell?" Val questioned. Garrickson looked in the side mirror. "Shit we lost the tire. We're riding on the wheel." He said panicked. Jackson knew that it would limit the driving, but also knew that it kept the mercs back. 

"Keep going." He ordered to Val. Who nodded. The lane narrowed by cones and temporary barriers, that of a construction site. They wove in and out of the barriers hoping to loose them but it was no luck, the mercs where on their tail. There was suddenly a sign. Road Ends.

A concrete barrier came into view, miles before their planned destination. Val tried to swerve around it but it was too long, and he ended up going into the trees instead. 

They all got out of the truck silently. Val took out a match, lit it, and threw it into the truck's cabin. They escaped to the safety of the trees, and bushes. Minutes later the truck was nothing but a sheer ball of fire. 

He felt a small sense of relief. But soon the tension was back as two things happened. The mercs came in to investigate, and Jackson pointedly remembered who he had to face tonight. He had to face the real Boss. His boss. The one who came up with this doomed plan, the one who wanted Minx, the one that wrote that message in the plasma screen, the one who was the rightful owner of the 500 billion dollars, and the one that could end Jackson's life. 

He was up in that house waiting for Jackson's news. The mercs leered closer in the distance. Jackson knew he couldn't move, but knew if he stayed that the mercs would find them for sure. Just as a merc drew near, the merc turned his head in the direction of the road behind him. And moved away back to the others. They waited for them to clear out, and started moving again. 

Jackson climbed the steep hill, the rifle still in his hand. An hour later they reached the ominous house. It was a ghostly white, a one story, with shattered windows, and missing chunks of paint. It stared down at them. The cold wind picked up, and burned their ears, as if to whisper to them their fates. 

The house grew nearer and nearer by the minute and Jackson's nerves began to twitch more frenzied and lively by the second. The branches crunched under their feet as the wind whipped through the trees. Another forty-five minutes later and they were at the house. Jackson put his foot on the first step, and the door opened. In the door frame stood one of his many thugs. They were the originals from before he went into hiding a month ago. 

"We've been expecting you." He said motioning for Jackson and the other men to follow. They entered the house. It was spacious and dimly lit. There was a fire burning in every room. The house was warm, but the feeling never reached his bones nor his heart that was now beating rapidly.

The man led them down a long and narrow hall way. Four doors lined each side, each door had a number on it, counting down. At the end of the hall stood two more guards, on the door it was labeled 1. The guard turned to face them. "Come with me. But you two stay. The boss wants a word with Jackson. Watch over these boys." He said to the two other guards. The one that was speaking was obviously the leader. 

Jackson followed him into a room that was the masters bedroom. A huge fireplace blazed before him. A chill ran over his body as he looked around the room and realized that the boss was no where in sight. "When were you planning on telling me that Minx and my money are still not in my possession?" The sound of his voice made Jackson jump. "I planed on tell" But the boss cut him off, "I am still speaking Sal. You can talk when I'm finished. Let me explain something to you." He said vacantly and slow. Jackson still didn't know where he was in the room. He didn't dare to move and find out all too quickly. 

He couldn't believe that the day had come where his brother would bring him to this type of fear. But he knew what happened to their other brother. "I worked hard to get to where I was." He began smoothly. His voice dangerously calm. "Everything I did I built with care. The ideas, my surroundings, my people, the business, the security, and the money. It took me fourteen years of my life to achieve that type of almost immortality." He paused for a moment and sighed. "Jackson, I believe that you claimed I was the one who would amount to nothing. But that's off the record now isn't it? My modesty forbids But I finally had everything I wanted. Money, status, respect, pride, and the woman I loved. But then you and my brother showed up at my office one day, asking for a loan. For money, and for forgiveness. I was reasonable Jackson, I gave it to both of you, on three simple conditions and a consequence. You remember what those were?" He chided, pausing. 

Jackson didn't answer for the fear of his fate clouded his memory. After minutes past he felt the mood change in the room from eerie and quiet, to forceful and enraged. "Answer me!" He suddenly yelled, his voice harsh. "Three conditions: We both repay you in full, stay out of your life ,and we don't report you to the mercs. The consequence: If we don't pay you, we repay you with something else, whatever you decide." Jackson said swallowing hard, a bead of sweat trickling down his left temple. 

"Good I'm glad you remember. We both know that our other member of the deal already paid his." He said, but something made Jackson cut him off. "Yes! I know you made him pay with his life. He didn't even die with a respectable death. His identity was clouded by who people thought he was. You didn't even give him a chance, he always lived in your shadow." Jackson couldn't believe he just said that. "That's not true." He stated simply. "Yes it is. You knew it and took full advantage of his weakness.The money he made and his love for Minx. But you had to take that from him." Jackson was yelling now. 

"Enough!" He yelled finally standing up and showing himself. Jackson looked at his brother. "He didn't disserve his money or Minx. I gave him the money to start that pitiful excuse he called a business. He should be grateful I stepped in when I did. He almost died because of his foolish choices. There used to be three of us, all brothers, fighting against our father's idea of life. When you two joined him, you became my enemies, instead of my friends and brothers." Jackson's watch alarm sounded, letting him know that the 72 hours were up, but he still had his riffle. What he didn't notice was that his brother was armed as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the outside of the door the three mercs, Val, and Garrickson heard a lone shot ring through the air. Then silence filled the house once again. 


	10. Chapter 8 Jack

Chapter 8: **_Jack_**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack laid awake in her bed, and looked up at the ceiling. Her mind was filled with the new information that she had learned over the past few days. That woman she saw at the space port was Minx. The guy she was involved with was that infamous criminal Deo, and he was kinda cute.

Truthfully Jack was curious to see her. It had been almost two years since she had been around anyone else, except Riddick and Imam. This was different, Minx was a girl, and maybe a cool one at that. Jack didn't know what to expect. Last night she caught Riddick looking her up on the net. That annoyed her, it wasn't text he was looking at but at a picture. Once she caught a glimpse, he clicked off of it and onto some text. It was just a normal picture, showing her in jeans and a tee shirt, so Jack tried not to read anything into it. 

She knew that she should get some sleep but she couldn't and felt wired. Taking out a book she purchased on the way over to the ship, she began to read. Thoughts of massive ship chaises throughout galaxies, tough women, and mysterious secrets flooded her brain. She her eyes grew heavy, as she felt sleep take her.

Seemingly moments later she opened her eyes and realized it was morning, as the smell of toast, eggs, and bacon floated through the air, and made her reluctantly sit up in bed. She groaned when she remembered, today she had to start reading those history books Imam sent over on his people, and their customs. 

She was going to stay with him in a religious community. It was like an old stucco building that from the pictures looked enormous. It was brown, with lots of windows, and trees all around it. He said that they didn't believe in that many modern conveniences. They had however electricity, and running water. Like he said the essentials. She would be going to school at an abbey across the campus of churches. She was dreading being sent away to live like a caged animal but Riddick insisted and explained it was for her own good.

She knew he was right but she didn't want him to leave her. She trudged across the room, still in a hypnotic sleepy state, not noticing the metal corner of the bed. A moment later her bare knee collided with it, she yelped out, as pain shot straight up her leg. She growled in frustration, as she hopped up and down on one foot, holding her knee in her hands, cursing and swearing. Suddenly she lost her balance and fell. Grasping the chair in front of her desk to try and stop her fall. But it tipped with her and she fell dramatically to the floor. Landing on her ass with a hard thud. "Awe, damn! Give me a break!" She yelled harshly, her breath uneven. Suddenly her door slid open, as Riddick filled the door way.

He must have just been working out. His feet were bare, and he was dressed in a pair of sweat pants that were really low on his hips. While he was shirtless. She looked up at him, speechless. Her cheeks burning. She swallowed. "You okay Kid?" He asked in a concerned voice, but a classic smirk was still evident on his face. Yet she couldn't find her voice to speak. His eyes were goggled, the soft light of her room made his bare chest seem to shine, along with this closely shaven head. She swallowed. "Kid?" He asked again, "You okay?" Jack nodded. "Yeah Ijust" She paused to pick herself up, "ran into the bed." She replied blankly. 

Stepping backwards she almost stumbled into the chair. But he reached out and caught her arm stopping her second nasty spill from occurring. She looked down and notice she was bleeding. "Around, not through, Jack." He said casually. Then steered her by her shoulders to her bathroom. "Come on, lets get ya cleaned up." He said stopping to place the chair right side up again. "Thanks." She muttered, down casting her eyes.

He sat her on the toilet seat and turned on the faucet, mixing the hot with some cold, to get it warm, but not scalding, or freezing. She yawned, her eyes half closed, half open. Riddick opened the medicine cabinet over the sink, as she stifled yet another yawn. He looked at her, "What time did you get to bed last night anyway?" He asked conversationally. She thought for a moment. "Five turrrtee." She said yawning in the middle of the sentence. Riddick chuckled. " Five turrree?" He repeated jokingly. Jack gave him a glared look as if to say 'shut it.' He smiled at her, still chuckling, he knelt down in front of her. 

He cleared away the dried blood with a damp hand towel, cleaned it with disinfectant, and applied a band aid. "Good as new." He muttered, standing up. "Want breakfast?" He called over his shoulder, while walking towards the door. "Uh huh." She agreed, pulling the covers of her bed straight, then sliding the door shut. She went to her closet, and pulled on her usual black cargo pants and black tee shirt, with her old boots. She didn't bother looking in the mirror, not wanting to cringe at the sight of her ghastly clothes. 

She walked into the kitchen, and found much to her distress, that he'd put on a tee shirt. She sighed and sat down at the table next to him. They ate in silence until it was broken by the gentle whirring and clicking of the Comm phone that floated just above the marble island in the middle of the kitchen. Riddick stood and pushed the talk button, a few milliseconds later Hocks's face filled the screen. 

"Man." He cringed animatedly. "You don't look so good in the morning Riddick." He growled playfully. Riddick smirked, "Look who's talking." He rumbled. Jack smiled slightly, standing, and walked up next to him. Hocks noticed her immediately. "Hey Jack, doing good I hope?" He said cheerfully, the usual twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Jack smirked back, "I'm alive aren't I?" She asked sarcastically, beaming with a smile immediately after. Hocks chuckled and then looked to Riddick. "What are you feedin' that kid nails and knives?" He asked incredulously. Riddick shook his head. "Nah she's always like this. A real joy, believe me." He said mockingly. Jack smacked him hard across the arm. Hocks chuckled again. "Okay you two enough foolin around." He chided, "Down to business. Minx is coming out of the medical ward today, so she'll be coming around some time this afternoon." He said casually. Jack's brow furrowed. 

"Medical ward? Something wrong with her." She asked, slight trace of panic in her voice. Hocks smiled. "Well she's never okay mentally." He paused to chuckle. "But after being chased down by a bunch of crazed mercs." He said sobering considerably, "Falling out of three story burning buildings, getting knocked out twice, and finally getting injected with a two day sleeping agent by meI guess she's doing pretty well for herself." He replied. "Wow! Three story buildings?" She asked her eyes wide. Hocks nodded. "Yeah it was on the news a couple of days agoday before last, if my memory serves me." He said thoughtfully. Riddick nodded. "Yeah we saw it. Almost leveled that place." He said casually. "Yeah," Hocks replied shaking his head with a smile. "It was done with this military explosive in the warehouse's stockroom." Hocks said. "I should know she ordered it from me. But we don't talk about that." He said slowly. Riddick smirked. "Of course not." He said sarcastically. 

Hocks looked to the left of the screen. "Have to go. Got some stuff to take care of. See you two later, I'll be bringing her round with me." He said quickly. "Stay outta trouble man." Riddick rumbled. Hocks smirked, "Yeah that'll be the day." He said. "See ya Hocks." Jack chimed in, suddenly in a lighter mood. "Bye." He replied, while moving to stand up. With that the screen went blank. 

Jack dumped her dishes in the food processor, and it cleaned them. Riddick followed suit. They walked into the livingroom. He turned on the TV and sat on the couch. While she plopped down in an over sized leather chair, with her legs hanging over the side of the arm. She opened her history book. It was cool, comfortable and quiet in the little apartment of theirs. Yep, she could defiantly get used to this. 


	11. Authors Note

Hey! 

Your author ShadowDiva here. Yeah, I'm the one responsible for all these twists, turns, suspense, and for Minx's hectic life. But forgive meit's all for the goodness of the story.

I've been working hard for the past few days, working three to four hours straight. Typing my fingers to the bone, sweating and toiling over the computer, and racking my brain for new ideas. **::**Whimper**:: ::**Tear**:: **

I'm just kidding. That's why I love writing, the thrill of the hunt.

Anyway I just posted a new story the day before last. It's a **xXx** fanfic called:

The Thorn in the Family. It's basically a mystery/romance type story where Xander gets caught in the middle of a family battle, while falling for the suspected daughter. To find out the whole story I guess you'll have to read it (Hee HeeNudge NudgeHint Hint)

But I just wanted to let you know that I am going to be adding to both stories quite rapidly. Probably adding and updating more to A Friend in an Enemy, because I'm trying to finish it by the time I have to go back to school on the 26th of August, **::**Frown**:: **

Every day I'm hoping to update with two more chapters. One a day at the very least. Things are going to mellow out _only a fraction,_ as far as the action and adventure is concerned, but it'll be replaced by tension/relationships/mystery. So I hope you like that. I have to get back to writing, but I guarantee in the next chapter or so Minx will meet Jack and Riddick. I promise! 

Thanks to all the people who read this story. Especially my most frequent reviewer Scattycat. Thank you for all the encouragement girl, you don't know how much I appreciate it! **::**Hugz**::**

But I'm not forgetting to thank everyone else. Don't forget to check out my new story though: The Thorn in the Family. I have to warn you that it's not as action packed as this one will be. Not quite yetjust give me time. 

Until my next Author's Note:

__

Dance like no ones watching

Live like tomorrows the end of the world

Peace, Love, and Winks

~ShadowDiva~ 


	12. A Dream or Reality: Minx

A Dream or Reality: Minx

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night was hot, a white haze floated around the dim yellow street lamps. The air was dense, and the street was lonely. Her black leather boots echoed off the buildings old walls as she took brisk steps. She felt someone behind her keeping their distance, eyes beating into her back. They felt familiar. The night grew darker, as the heat played on her skin. She felt danger looming about her. The stones under her feet became slick as she realized that it had begun to rain. A warm mist began to fall. She looked behind her and saw a flash of black. It was graceful and tall, then a flash of silver. She starred at that spot for a moment, now seeing nothing she turned on her heal and kept walking. 

She focused to the street that lay before her. She rounded the corner, only to find Deo standing in the alley way alone. In his classic trench coat, slacks, dress shoes, and a cigarette dangling from his mouth, the embers glowing red in the dark. "Deo!" She said, running towards him. She watched as he opened his arms to her. She ran into them, they closed tight around her. 

She pulled back slightly when she realized this man was not Deo. His arms were twice as big, he was taller. For some reason she found herself smiling up at him. But all she saw was a quick flash of silver, and a sly smile. She felt herself being moved backwards, a moment later her back hit the firm brick wall. 

Huge hands lifted her up, and pinned her, his hands on her hips. Then she felt his breath on her nose. Warm and slow. His lips brushed hers. He pushed forward, as his lips became rougher. Claiming hers in his. She held tight to him. As his slick lips drug down her neck. The rain now fell in sheets. She let out a shaky breath as his hands moved up under her shirt. She felt him push her bra away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minx suddenly woke up, her night top drenched in sweat. It seemed so real. 


	13. Chapter 9 Minx

The world she's about to know: Minx

**__**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took her a while to get back to sleep after that dream. She couldn't help but wonder who the other man was. It had to be a dream.! It couldn't have been the future, Deo was dead. Tired she closed her eyes and went back to sleep. 

Minx's eyes fluttered open slowly, smiling she sunk back into her pillow, and pulled the covers up around her ears, and sighed happily. She could stay like this _all_ day. She felt tired, even though she had just woken up. Closing her eyes, she started to drift off to sleep again. Suddenly the door started to open. She pretended to be sound asleep. Who ever it was, she didn't care, she wanted her sleep. By the sound of the heavy boots and the quiet mutterings, she knew it was Hocks. 

She was enjoying laying there like a lump. Not moving, not thinking, just laying there. She felt as though she deserved it. Hocks actually thought she was asleep, until she felt a familiar tingling sensation in her nose. Oh, no. I'm not gonnabut suddenly she inhaled sharply and sneezed loudly. "ACHOOO!!!" She shook violently, her head throbbed, and her temples seemed to pulse rapidly. Well that moment of silence and rest didn't last long. She begrudgingly reflected. Minx opened her eyes to see a smirking Hocks. "Looks who's finally up." He said, looking at his chrono watch. 

Minx groaned. She wanted to stay in bed, eat doughnuts, drink coffee, and watch movies. Chick flicks even. She just wanted to stay in bed. With her hair a mess, her clothes wrinkled, and her blankets and fluffy white pillows about her. Okay, maybe she was getting soft, but in this moment she could care less. She had bags under her eyes the size of a small freighter, and bruises so yellow she felt like a green grape.

Hocks put a tray of food in front of her. She looked down. Coffee and doughnuts! She smiled, "Thanks Hocks." Hocks nodded. "We've got some stuff to take care of today. I have to show you around the ship." He said proudly. Minx could only nod, now that her mouth was stuffed with a bare claw. "Say something Minx." He teased. "Shuff Hit!" She mumbled, meaning to say Shut it. She swallowed and laughed. He smiled, chuckling him self. "Okay. So what about my living arrangements?" She asked. 

"You gonna be staying in a nice little flat I picked out, with a very close friend of mine. I trust him greatly. He has a spare room. I already spoke to him a couple days ago and he agreed to let you stay with him." He said simply. 

Minx's brow furrowed. "Okay buthow does he feel about me staying with him. I meandoes he know who, I really am. I'm a wanted criminal you know, not some corporate pansy, or some bubble gum teeny bopper." She said in a warning tone. "He knows who you are, and that's probably half of the reason why he agreed to let you come stay." He said with a sly smile, "As for the wanted criminal, he's one of the most wanted men in the galaxy. So don't worry about that." 

Minx sat up right, and looked directly at him. He wouldn'the wasn't talking aboutbut she stopped and thought for a moment. "This guy wouldn't be a curtain bad ass, cue ball, with a mean shine job, and bad attitude would he?" She asked knowingly. Hocks's eyebrows pointedly raised, "How did you know?" He asked, baffled. Minx shook her head. "Two things. Trust him with my life, and one of the most wanted men in the galaxy. Kinda gave you away right there. Plus the sly smile, and the fact that you sometimes talk about him." She paused, wondering what he really would be like, around her.

Hocks handed her some pills, they were gray and silver with a slight imprint on them. Pb. She looked at them questioningly. "It's just some pills to protect your injuries from infection. Takem." He said. Minx popped them into her mouth at the warning look he gave her. Taking a gulp of coffee, and they were gone. 

"So I guess he's my new roommate then." She said, picking up another bare claw. This time taking her time, ripping off little bites. Since it was the second to the last one. She had a mean sweet tooth. "Well there's some one else. A fifteen year old girl named Jack. He's sort of her guardian. Not officially, but he does look out for her and take care of her." He said thoughtfully. Minx nodded. "So what's she like?" Minx asked curiously. "Well it's hard to say how she'll be around you. She might be quiet, but on the other hand she might be really comfortable around you and never shut up. You'll do fine with her. You two have a lot in common, you'd be surprised." He said getting up out of his chair. "Finnish up eating, and get dressed. I'll be waiting outside for ya. Don't make a fuss about your looks either. Worry about it later, we got work to do." He closed the door behind him.

She went into the bathroom expecting to see the dreaded bags and bruises but was pleasantly surprised when she found none. Walking over to the closet she took out her rook sack, and tugged the buttons on the flap free, then untied and pulled the brown draw string. She pulled out a pair of light colored jeans and a tight fitting button front tee-shirt that fell just below her belly. Pulling her hair into a high pony tail, zipping up her boots, re-packing her sack, she grabbed her coffee, and headed out the door. 

Everything was clean and white. It looked like a typical hospital, except it had some really interesting looking computers and instruments. Mostly security stuff she guessed. 

Looking around she finally spotted Hocks. He was talking to a much shorter younger man. Around 6'4". He was however almost as equally muscled. He had dirty blonde hair, and silver glasses. She noticed a lot of the nurses were looking at him with swooning and dreamy gazes. 

A woman walked slowly past him and batted her eye lashes. "Good mourning Captain Wane." She said in a honey sweet voice. The guy nodded and smiled slightly, not really looking at her, just looking to the right of her. "Come visit me later. I have some papers for you to sign." She said slowly. _Oh, please!_ Minx groaned, rolling her eyes.

He had a gray jumpsuit on, with black commando boots. She presumed he was a pilot of some kind, judging by the way he walked and stood. Always in attention. He was broad shouldered and stiff. He didn't look relaxed but apprehensive instead. They looked like they were talking about business so she stood back and waited.

A few minutes passed, and Hocks looked at her. He motioned for her to come over and join them. Nodding she walked up to the two men. "Jen I want you to meet the head pilot for my ship. Leo Wane." She met his gaze, he had clear blue piercing eyes. That were cold, and searching. She inwardly cringed when she felt his eyes roam over her body. He smiled politely at her. "Leo this is Jenny, my niece." He said conversationally. "Hi." She said intently. Taking his hand, shaking it lightly and quickly. 

"Pleasures all mine." He said, in a quiet southern drawl. Minx gracefully dropped her hand, and looked at Hocks. He just smiled and made a clicking noise with his tong. "Play nice. I'll see you 'round Leo." He said. "You're the boss. Welcome Jen." He said in that same quiet tone. Hocks rolled his eyes, taking Minx by the elbow, and heading in the opposite direction towards the two metal sliding doors. 

"Interesting." Minx said with a bemused smirk on her face. "Yeah, he always has a certain way around the nurses. You're the only woman who is apart of the real crew. I guess he's not used to that. Just thought you should know." He said in a flat tone. Why he had suddenly changed she had no idea, who could explain men and _their_ mood swings. 

"So, by the way what will I be doing on this ship?" She asked, suddenly noticing the change in her surroundings. The ship was dimly lit, and had a still bluish and silver color about it. The walls were all stainless steal, it had that smooth brushed look, that when you touched it, it didn't leave fingerprints. The only light emitted from the air vents that lined the base boards. The ship was cooler, because of the man made air that was circulating through out it. Every door was lined with a type of black rubber, sealing it completely. 

It was a medium sized ship. Big enough that you didn't know everyone, but small enough that it didn't have too many places to get to know, or to hide in for that matter. You couldn't get lost in a ship like this. It had three floors. Four, if you count the main engine room which had it's own all to itself. 

"You are my computer programmer. You'll be working down in the engine room with Riddick. He does the mechanical and hardware, you get the computers to recognize the stuff he installs, also you set up or upgrade the computer as well. You can also be one of my hackers, if you don't mind." He stated. Weaving through the some oncoming people. They were all mostly in jumpsuits, the men greeted him with a nod, the women smiled sweetly. 

They approached a door that slid open to reveal a elevator. "Most of the rooms and doors you see are cabins. Some are mini engine rooms, that I'll show you once we get to the working deck. Were going to the cock-pit first. I want you to see that, and meet some guy's you'll be working with on occasion." Minx nodded soaking up the info.

She had spent half of her life on a huge freighter ship. But this ship was totally different from those, that she was so familiar with. Her father had been a pilot, and her mother a doctor. Since her father wanted a boy, he treated her like one and showed her the ropes. Minx spent all her time learning about the mechanics and technical workings of those ships. She knew how to work a wrench by the age of five. 

When she was ten they left her with her cousin Dellaney one night, and a few weeks later Dellaney told her they weren't coming back. The mini hop of the elevator, brought her back to the present. Blinking quickly she walked along side Hocks, down a long hallway. It had no doors, and no breaks in the walls. Just straight, flawless metal. Even the lights seemed to not interfere with them. No doubt there was a reason for that. 

She returned her gaze in front of her, to find that they were approaching a wall. No door, no key, or hand pad for entry, just a wall. A wall that was totally identical to those on the sides of the hallway. Strait flawless metal. She looked around and saw that there was nothing else in the hall. 

Leave it to Hocks to come up with something like this. Suddenly Minx's feet sunk into metal floor. It felt like melting rubber. It gave and formed a print of the bottom of her boot. Through all of her observing, and the sinking rubber floor performance, Hocks was deftly silent. Just standing there as if to wait for a bus or something. 

Minx looked at him. A blank expression on his face. Asking him about it she knew would get her no where. Figuring she was fighting a loosing battle to find out what the hell was going on, she let out a slow breath, folded her arms across her chest, and waited. Silent, just like Hocks. Funny how people like to be so mysterious, she reflected.

A moment later there was a slight vibrating noise, the walls began to flutter and tremble gently, sounding like distant thunder during a storm. She watched as the seemingly very much intact wall in front of them, slowly glided up ward, like an old retro garage door. The huge wall slid up and out of sight disappearing into a discreet gap in the ceiling. To reveal a stunning cock-pit and an even more breathtaking view of the stars. They walked forwards and stopped in front of two sliding glass doors. 

The room was circular in the front and middle, but the sides of the room were straight. The cock-pit was bustling with men, walking and speaking diligently. Some sitting in cubicles, illuminated with red lights, and blue or green lit controls. Some were walking from one side of the room to the other with long white sheets of paper in their hands. Others were lingering and whispering over star maps. While some were huddled close together near a computer monitor pointing and doing some other hand gestures. 

In the center of the room was a raised oval like podium, surrounded by silver piping creating some railing. The floor of the podium was lit with white light. Making it seem bright compared to all the cool colors surrounding it. At the podium stood Leo. In that same stance and anxious look of authority. Behind his silver glasses, his eyes darted around the room, observing everything, and judging everyone. 

At the front of the room were the pilots, four men. They all sat like statues, and only moved when Leo or another man (of supposed importance) gave them an order.

She jumped when Hocks spoke, her ears still expecting silence. "These are my men. They work hard, and are smart. I just wanted you to see what they are like before they know you and me are here. Sometimes, I catch them playing craps games, black jack, or even poker, when a officer is not up here. Whata ya think of the set up?" He asked lightly. 

"Very, very, cutting edge._ I,_ haven't even seen half of this stuff." Minx said with a surprised tone. It was true, most of this stuff looked like equipment even the government could only dream about getting their greasy paws on. That was the quality of the black market for you. Always a hair or two better then the legal stuff, that is if you knew who and where to go to. 

"Now that you've seen what they are suppose to look like when their working, I'll introduce you." 

"But wait a minute.I thought they could see us." She asked blankly, her eyes still observing the admirable machinery. 

"We can see in, but they cannot see out. They think this is a normal metal wall. Holographs are the key me'dear. Same with those walls in that hallway we were just in." He said with a shrug. 

"Also the floor act right?" She asked. Hocks nodded. 

"That was the security I had installed. The rubber lets your feet sink into the real floor that is loaded with weight sensors, that weighs _you_. It also distracts you while a laser scans you body. So if you're the right weight and the right profile. It lets you pass." He said proudly, raising his eye brows like Groucho Marks.

"Brilliant." Minx said quietly in amazement, smiling. 

Hock pulled a thin piece of plastic out of his pocket, and pressed a small button. The two doors slid open. Hocks and Minx stepped inside the room, and the doors clapped shut quickly, almost nipping Minx's behind. Whooo, wouldn't want to get caught between those doors. Minx thought. 

She noticed the room had gone completely silent. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and stood were they were. Hocks nodded shortly and within seconds everything resumed, almost as if it had never stopped in the first place. 

Minx looked at him, "What was that all about?" She asked softly. "I run this jointit's a mark of respect." He said only half serious. Minx laughed softly to herself.

They first walked up to the four men at the front of the room.

Each had their hands on a long control panel in front of them. This control panel had no unused space, every inch looked like it had a button. Some red others yellow, some blue. The man closest to them turned in his chair, and stood. 

He had carrot red hair and small brown eyes. In his mid to late forties. He was smaller then most of the men on this ship, most of which were somewhat muscled and were at least 6 feet tall and over. He on the other hand must've been barely 5'9" with his shoes on. He was skinny and thin. He had a goatee and wore a black jumpsuit. 

"Hocks, is this my new programmer?" He asked lightly, looking at Minx. "Jenny is the ships new programmer Bengie. She'll be working mostly in my engine rooms." He said conversationally, she could tell that these two were also old friends. "Well, at least I can have her under my wing for a while anyway." He said with a pleasant smile, that was directed at her. She felt at ease around him. Kinda like an older brother, or a father even.

"I'm the second in command in this ship. I work everything in this room, including the men, and the machineswhen they listen to me. You can call me Bengie." He said shaking her hand. Minx gave him a genuine smile. 

"I understand. Those machines have a mind of their own. And unfortunately so do the men." She said lightly. 

"Smart, and quick. I like a smart girl." Bengie complimented, with a small chuckle. 

They said their good-byes to Bengie and walked over to the clump of men that were huddled around the computer monitor. They were all arguing about something that was up on the screen. None of them seemed to notice that Hock was there. 

Minx just waited and observed the scene in comic interest. They seemed to be arguing about something that was serious. Her attention was sparked when she heard her name.

"Minx might know what the hell is going on. But this throws me through a loop." She looked to Hocks for some explanation. "Come on Jerry, finding the john throws you through a loop." Most of the men laughed. Including Minx, who assumed by the john he meant the bathroom. "

Stop being so blind, this guy was obviously working for someone. He's not the top Boss. There someone else in the picture, that obviously wasn't pleased with the way things were going." A brown hair man put in. 

"Would you stop being an ex-cop for once. This guy was _it_, there isn't any evidence that there is someone else." A blonde guy argued. 

"This isn't going to be released on the news for another two weeks or so. That means there still investigating." The brown haired guy retorted smartly. 

"Fine. But I just don't wanna hack into anything unless were certain that this is something worth risking our ship's position for." The blond stated firmly. "Yeah I know. But this guy was found dead. Shot by a rifle laser." The brunet man agreed.

"Uh Uh! Wrong buddy boy, that was a laser rifle. Brush up your arsenal facts tonight when your reading _alone_ in bed!" The blond man teased.

"Why don't you take you arsenal and fire it up your.." But the brown haired man was cut off by Hocks. 

Hocks cleared his throat loudly. "Break it up before I have to make you both wash dishes tonight." He warned. As if timed, the whole group looked at him. There heads snapping up from the screen. The men looked at eachother and stepped away from each others' faces. 

"So what have you found?" Hocks asked. Walking up to the monitor, but the guys weren't looking at him. They were looking at Minx. Disbelieving, like she was back from the dead or something. 

"Uh, Sir there has just been a homicide police report sent to the city hall and casualty department on the east side of Pluto ll. It came in about ten minutes ago. Our guy Salvador Jackson has been murdered. His body was found in an abandoned farm house some fifty miles from a major warehouse. The kings street complex warehouse, that, Jackson was rumored to be hiding out in." It was the brown haired man who was speaking. 

He had clear blue eyes, and was probably almost as tall as Hocks. He wasn't as muscled, and wore glasses. His hair was short kind of like a buzz cut. He had a tattoo on his right wrist, that was a black flame running around it like a permanent bracelet. 

He spoke well and sounded smart. She was looking at him intently. Waiting for him to continue. He clicked off of the report and brought up a photo of him. It made Minx stop and stare. Her eyes were in shock. Her brain in a major overload. This man looked a lot like Deo. Except he had green eyes and blonde hair. His skin was slightly darker, and he had a very pronounced scar running from the left side of his jaw to just above his temple, where it ended in a patch of what looked like to be permanently burned skin. She tore her eyes away from the picture and looked at the text below. 

It didn't say anything that she didn't already know. "This is what's puzzling me Hocks." He scrolled down to a couple of lines of text that was apart from the rest. It even was a different font and size.

Family members (siblings or relations through blood that are also in the system): 

Father: Heath McGraw Brother:Darin McGraw Brother: Deo McGraw. 

Deo was his brother. Deo told her that he was an only child. Why would he lie. She wondered. She shook her head suddenly discussed. If he lied to her about that what else could've he lied to her about? She suddenly doubted, fearful of the answer. 

"The reason it puzzles me is that, when I look up all these names on the files. I clearly states that all these men do not have siblings. They only have the name of their father Heath McGraw. SoI don't know." 

"Both Deo and Salvador are dead. Their deaths are almost duplicate. They died within a little month of eachother on the same planet: Pluto ll. In the same area: The east side. They were both murdered."

"There's even some speculation if Darin and Heath are still alive. And also where they are. Darin's been missing for over five years. Heath, no ones seen him in twenty one. That's all I know so far. Everything else is just rumor." He said standing up and picking up a piece of paper that had silently printed out from a slit in the wall. 

"This is a flight record of the Salvador's trip. He had someone with him. A male. That matched the description of his brother Darin, but we couldn't confirm it. This was a couple of months ago though. And they were traveling to Pluto ll from Torch Island. Anyway, here it is." He handed it to Hocks. The brown haired man looked at Minx, noticing her standing there for the first time, since they walked up twenty minutes ago.

"Ryan this is my niece Jenny she's apart of my maintenance crew. She might do some hacking for yeh sometime. Jen this is Ryan head of my criminal and security group." Hocks said pausing to look at the piece of paper in his hand. Minx shook Ryan's hand, "Welcome" He said lightly. She felt the other five guys watching her. "So how long will you be here?" He asked informally. "Uh2 to 3 months depending." She said letting go of his hand.

"AyeRyan where are you manners?" The blond asked in a friendly voice. She turned to look at him. He was goofy looking, his teeth were slightly crooked. And he smelled like peppermint. "Names Blaine. I'm the database hacker on this ship. You hack?" He asked in a slightly faster southern drawl then Leo. 

"Yeah. Database mostly. Mostly federal and merc though." She said proudly. Blaine raised his eye brow at her. "Federal? Ooooh, dangerous." He said, making her laugh. He reminded her of a stand up comic. Always looking for the perfect punch-line. 

"These four extremely talkative men are Nitetrow, the electronics hacker." He gave her a silent nod when she looked at him. "Kevin, our mechanical expert. Devin our other mechanical expert." Kevin and Devin were almost identical twins. Looking a lot like eachother except one had blonde hair, the other had brown. "Then last but not least the rookie Grant, he's multi-talented." He ended his little into with a grin as he said 'multi-talented.' Grant was the youngest out of all of them. He was maybe sixteen. He was staring at her. She smiled. "Okay, uhNitetrow-electronics, Kevin-mechanical, Devin-mechanical, and Grant-muti-talented." She said out loud, giving a small smile again at Grants title. Counting off on her fingers. "Alright, I'll try and remember that." She said with a sigh.

"You do that." Blaine said with another chuckle. Hocks spoke up "Alright Blaine I want you to go threw the other file from this database and find the exact weapon type he was killed with. Then try and find out if this other brother Darin ever got one like that. Go into the black market files if you have to." He said in a slightly commanding voice. Blaine nodded. "Yes sir!" He said with a mini-salute. Hocks shook his head. "Okay wise guy."

They walked back to Bengie. "Well, how are things going up here?" Hocks asked him. "Well, the scanning system is on the blink. It's not really recognizing some of the rocks, debris, so it can't warn to dodge them or destroy them, so were catching some flack, no real damage though. So that needs to be looked at. Then some of the lights in my panel up here are dimming, and the buttons are getting rather scuffed. There's some work for you already Jen."

Minx nodded with a smile. "Looks like it." 

"Well of you ever are sort with work I always have something up here." Bengie said extending his arms out to his sides, motioning around the room. 

"I'll keep that in mind." She said looking at the control panel again, and noticing the dimming lights. She couldn't help but want to press them and find out what each does. Even though she knew if she did, it could bring total destruction to the ship. _I guess I won't be pushing any buttons. They probably wouldn't trust me anyway._ She thought to herself. 

"Better get back to work. See you around Jen." Bengie said lightly. Minx nodded. Hocks looked at her. "Well that's it for now. I guess I should get you up to the apartment and get you settled in." Hocks said, motioning to the door.

They left and was walking in the long hall they had come though. The huge door closed behind them, and gave off the impression that they were never there. They went into the elevator once again, heading up to the top floor. 

The elevator gave it's usual slight hop, and opened it's doors. The hall way was long but it didn't have many doors. Hocks led her straight down the hall. They got up to the door, and stopped about two feet away from it. A moment later a thin red laser scanner ran across both their bodies. 

After a routine of clicking, whooshing, and mechanical cranking noises it finally concluded _'Accesses Granted.'_ They stepped up to a more normal looking door and he rang the com button. They waited. _Well_, Minx thought solemnly, _this is the first day of your new life. Your on your own now._


	14. Authors Note 2

Hey everyone, 

Alright I have to admit I haven't updated in a couple of days, but at this very moment I am working on two to three more chapters for this story right now! At this very moment.

I'll probably post them sometime either tonight or tomorrow, but I *promise* 

I will do it SOON!

I need some **help** from everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. I was thinking about writing some stuff about how Minx's life was before she met Deo, and how she and Deo met and got together, also some looks at the underground identity ring she helped run.

I was thinking about putting it into the chapters as little mini flash backs, but at the degree I'd do it and the detail (you guys who've been reading know me on detail. *eye-roll*), it would take away too much time from the real story I'm trying to tell.

The flashbacks about Minx will only be, at the maximum, three chapters. Then I'll get back to the story. But please send in reviews and let me know if you want them or not. I need more then one or two reviews because I know that I have more readers then that. 

If you don't tell me one way or another I will ignore the idea and just continue on with the story. But I don't want to do that. My girl, Minx has to reflect on her life be fore this. But anyways, I have to get back to writing, and please tell me what you think about the background stuff on Minx.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing. I really appreciate all the encouragement and support, you guys keep me writing this story, so ***THANK YOU***

Love to all,

~ShadowDiva~ 


	15. Chapter 10 Jack and Minx

****

This is the chapter most of you have been waiting for Riddick, Jack, and Minx finally meet. Okay this chapter might be a little confusing for some people (including me, **::**blush**::**). This chapter alternates between Minx's POV and Jack's POV , I announce who's point of view it is on the top of every section. Don't worry, later Minx and Riddick get some alone time. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jack

It had been three hours, since she opened the book of history Imam had sent her. Her eyes glazed over the words, seeing them, but paying no attention to what they were actually saying. All she saw was letters, spaces, and the brown paper they were typed on, nothing else. 

She just didn't feel like it was important. _How could this help me?_ She wondered. Closing the book she looked over at Riddick. He was sitting with his ankle on his knee watching the news. He looked calm, and in that moment almost normal, except for the shined eyes. 

She smirked to herself, but felt her eyes growing heavy, as ancient battles and prayers circulated through out her brain. She wasn't used to a life so normal, or so nice for that matter. She just didn't know what to do with herself. This was an expensively furnished apartment with the newest stuff, no cockroaches or flies to kill, or no mercs to worry about. She didn't have to look out a small, clouded over, window of a ship and watch out for flying debris that were gonna hit the skiff. Things were just normal. Almost too normal for her liking.

I'd better get used to this. She thought. Living with Imam is going to be even more normal than this. She almost scoffed at the thought of living on land again. In a house that did not have rockets or a control panel or wings or turbo boosters. Just a normal house, or apartment. She'd go to regular school and just be among kids her own age, not people like Riddick. She'd be staying there and not moving anywhere until she was 18 years old. 

She pushed the thoughts away realizing she was just babbling to herself now, driving herself crazy with the idea of actually being normal. Would it really be that bad? She wondered. She was about to answer herself when the Comm system rang.

Before Riddick could move a muscle she was already at the door, hitting the scan button. Hocks's face appeared on the mini screen on the wall next to the door. She smiled to herself feeling a mini surge of happiness. "Hey Jack, open up I got a special package for youa _Minx_ coat." Hocks joked. From the left side of the screen Jack saw a smaller hand smack him on the arm. "It's not dead yet. Still a little feisty." He said with a chuckle. Jack nodded throwing in a snicker of her own, and pressed the **open** button. The door did as told and smoothly slipped out of the way. "Hey Hocks." Jack said casually. Inwardly proud that she sounded so cool. She was usually nervous around strangers.

Hocks nodded and stepped over the threshold into the narrow hallway, and was followed by the young looking woman from the space port she's seen only about a week ago. She had the same dark long hair, and was carrying that large rucksack over her right shoulder. Yup, it was her alright. "Jack this is Minx, my niece. Minx, meet Jack." He said casually. Jack looked at Minx's eyes. They were the color of honey. "Hi." Jack said smiling slightly, shaking her hand, then letting it go. "Hey." She said. 

"Well isn't this civilized." Jack turned to see Riddick leaning against the wall that led to the living room, he had his goggles back on, and was smirking. There was a moment of silence before Hocks spoke. "Was wondering where you got to." Hocks said. Riddick sauntered over and stood next to Jack. He was acting strange, like he did back on T2, when he was around Fry. Quiet and mocking, with a little menace thrown in just for fun.

Jack knew that this girl had to prove herself if she wanted to gain some courtesy from Riddick. He wasn't as nice around strangers as he was around her. And Jack could tell he was probably going to be like this for a couple of daysif not more."Riddick, my niece and your computer installer Minx." Hocks said gesturing to Minx with his hand. After a moment, Jack stole a glance at Riddick, she couldn't tell who he was looking at.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Minx

Minx looked up at Riddick, he was better looking in person. Taller and bigger then she thought, but she hadn't _really_ thought that hard about him. Jack was cool, and she could easily get used to her, but wasn't completely sure how she was going to go about getting used to Riddick. He seemed like a man of few words.

He towered over her and must've out weighed her by a good 60 pounds. Minx turned her attention back to Jack. "Mind showing me to my room." She asked Jack. "Nah, don't mind. Come on." The girl said motioning for her to follow. 

Minx felt Riddick's eyes on her, although she couldn't really tell by those dark goggles. Sighing she moved to follow Jack, but before she could, Hocks stopped her. "I want to talk to both of you in my office tomorrow, at 0800." Hocks said. Minx guessed that he meant her and Riddick. And it took her a minute but she finally figured out that 0800 meant 8:00, she had forgotten that they used a twenty-four hour system on ships like this, so there was no 8:00 p.m. 

She nodded to Hocks, "Thanks for everything Hocks. See ya then." She said sincerely, then following Jack. " That door over there, that is in between the hall and the livingroom, that's the workout room." She commented blankly. A moment later they reached the door at the end of the hall. 

Jack slid open the door to reveal a very feminine room, with white silk sheets, and a huge king sized bed. Over by the far wall was a matching powder table and mirror, next to it was a bathroom and walk in closet. Minx smiled, wondering how Hocks had picked all this out. "You think he hired an interior decorator or something. I'd begin to worry if he did this himself." She said, looking over her shoulder to see Jack still lingering in the door frame. 

She had a slight smirk on her face, "Yeah. I'll see ya round uhMinx." Jack said, "See ya." Minx said casually. Her door slid shut, _cute kid_, she thought with a smile. Jack reminded Minx of herself when she was 15. She was a sort of tom boy, she still had some scars on her knuckles to remind her of it. She bandaged her chest so that the boys in her orphanage wouldn't make fun of her.

That all changed when she met Deo, she didn't feel like she needed to hide being a girl anymore. Turning back to her rucksack she started to unpack, but as Raven had taught her, she left almost half of it still packed just in case she need to escape.

Walking over to her walk-in closet she hung up some of her jeans, and skirts. Then put her shirts and underwear in the drawers. She unpacked the rest of her toiletries and personal items, then decided to take a look at the bathroom. It had miniature Jacuzzi, and a stand up shower head above it, complete with a pull around curtain that went around the entire Jacuzzi. The bathroom had white and blue tiles lining the entire room. With some cute small blue tiles lining the mirror. The towels were large, plush, and clean. Sighing happily, she strolled toward her bed, and plopped down onto it. Bouncing gently as she closed her eyes. 

Later she looked at the clock and realized that it was already 12:30 at night (00:30 hours if you used the ship's time) she hauled herself up and decided to go and use the workout room. Grabbing a towel from the bathroom she headed down the hall noticing that it was particularly darker then normal.

Opening the door she heard the faint sounds of weights being lifted. Her heart rate sped up as she wondered who it was. What if it was Riddick, what would she do then. She was ashamed to admit that he was slightly intimidating her, and she was sure that he probably knew it.

Nearing the center of the room, she found it was just Jack. Alone, and looking tough in the light. Minx smirked, "Mind if I join you?" She asked. Jack looked startled for a moment, but relaxed when she saw Minx. "Oh, yeah." She said a little winded, and breathless. Minx and Jack worked out in companionable silence for close to an hour. Jack was strong, and could lift almost as much as Minx, who was pleasantly surprised. They broke off and started to cool down, when Minx noticed a damp stain on the back of Jack's cargo pants.

"Um, Jack I think you sat in something." She said awkwardly. Jack turned briefly feeling her behind, then promptly turning red. "Oh, shit!" She swore under her breath, Minx could tell she was embarrassed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jack

Jack felt her face go red as she saw the blood on her fingers. Damn, I should have known, it was that time of the month anyway. She was so humiliated, _Minx must think I'm so immature to not notice._ She thought. She heard Minx laugh lightly. _Oh, great now she's laughing at me. _Jack thought feeling like darting for the door.

"Hey, just be glad your wearing black. Come on back to my room an I'll tell you a story while we get this aggravation cleaned up." She said with an encouraging smile. But Jack felt too mortified. "No, that's alright I can take care of myself." Jack said trying to sound indifferent, but knowing she failed miserably, as her voice came out as a mumble. Keeping her gaze overted, she brushed past her and retreated to the safety of her own room. Where she could discreetly bang her head repeatedly against the wall, or crawl under the covers of her bed and die.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Minx

Minx watched Jack leave the work out room, after the door closed behind her she heaved a distressful sigh, why did she have to go and tell her. _Me and my big tactless mouth_, she thought. Slowly she trudged back to her room, wiping down with her towel as she went. Once inside she switched on the lights to dim. Raven was so much better with teenagers. Raven was Minx's best friend and mentor. Almost everything Minx knew how to do, or was good at, Raven had taught her. Groaning, she started up the Jacuzzi. Just as she was about to take off her clothes there was a soft knock at the door. 

Turning off the water Minx padded quickly from the bathroom to her door, pointedly tripping over the rug at the foot of her bed, making her almost fall on her face. Swearing she slid open the door, to see a semi-red Jack standing before her. "Sorry, butcan I?" Jack asked fiddling with her hands. Minx smiled softly, maybe she wasn't so bad at this teenage girl bonding thing after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Jack

"Come on in." Minx said softly, with a casual smile, stepping aside so that Jack could enter. Jack was a little embarrassed. She was still in her wrecked pants, and unfortunately it was starting to dry. "Okay, umlet's see..where did I put my stash?" Minx mumbled heading into her walk in closet. 

Jack took a minute to look around at Minx's room, and at some of her things. She had the nicest room in the entire apartment, it wasn't too girly. Jack noticed that Minx had taken away the lace throw pillows. She smiled at that, Minx wasn't too bad. She was cool too, her hair was always neat, and her clothes were tough. She noticed a diamond bracelet that hung in a box on her dresser, it was so beautiful. Even in the minimal lighting it glinted pink, blue, purple, and green all at the same time. 

Minx came out carrying a robe, about five pads, and a box of tampons. "Okeyso, pad or tampon?" She asked. Jack bit her lip. "Er..tampon." She said lied, she really had no clue about how to use one. She started towards the bathroom, but stopped, "Actually, uhpad." She said lamely, feeling like a dork. "Hey, use what you want. Tampons used to make me so nervous, I couldn't even begin to open the wrapper." Minx said with a hesitant laugh. "Really, why?" Jack asked. Minx blushed, "It's stupid." She said. "Nah, why?" She asked again. "WellI used to freak out about it getting stuck, or it falling out. Just everything that could possibly go wrong." Minx said. Jack laughed surprising herself. Minx laughed too. But it was soon replaced with an uncomfortable silence. 

"So what's the damage?" Minx asked. Jack walked over to her full mirror and observed them. "They're ruined!" Jack grunted, shaking her head. "Ah, rubbish. Just go in the bathroom and change into this robe, put on this pad and I'll help you take the stain outta the pantsif you want." She said hesitantly. Jack nodded, "Thanks." Minx smiled, wordlessly walking into her closet, her hips and pony tail swaying in perfect time. 

With the robe and the pad in hand, Jack headed for the bathroom. She changed out of her pants and put on the pad. Shivering slightly she pulled on the white robe. It swallowed her a little, but it was still comfy. She wasn't used to this feeling of trust, in her earlier years, Jack had come to not trust other girls, especially pretty ones. They always stabbed you in the back at one time or another. Jack still was a bit wary about Minx, even thought apart of her wanted to trust her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minx

Minx hear a faint noise and looked up to see Jack in the white robe she had given her. She looked charming. "I think my pants are beyond help." She said heading towards the door. "Uhjust take these. My stash is open to you if you need more, just look in my bathroom." She said hesitantly. Minx could tell Jack wanted to leave, so she handed her the pads. "Thanks." Jack said and headed out.

Minx went back into the bathroom and started up the Jacuzzi once again. Slipping into the warm water she sighed contentedly as the knots in her body began to work loose. She started to feel drowsy as the hypnotic gurgle and bubble of the water filled her ears.

About an hour later she decided to get out before she looked like a ninety year old lady. Wrapping her lavender rode around her she dried her hair and slipped into her tang top and soft yoga pants.

The covers were soft, warm, and comforting as she found herself falling into a quiet sleep, if only her life could always be this simple. 


	16. Chapter 11 Riddick

It had been a long night for Riddick. He just couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the fact that there was a stranger in the house, one that happened to be a young woman. Standing in the hall yesterday he noticed that she was slightly intimidated by him. 

True, she was Hocks's niece, but she still could mean trouble. Jack seemed to like her, at least she spoke. It was funny how that when they were out in public Jack hated strangers, she couldn't get out a single word.

Opening his eyes fully, he stretched slowly. His arms and hips cracking. He walked across the room and slipped on his usual clothes. Black cargo pants and a tank top. He laced up his boots and put on his goggles, just incase she had the lights normal.

Walking into the kitchen he found Jack already sitting at the table half way through her breakfast. "So where did you come from?" Jack asked in between bites. "Pluto ll." She said casually. Minx was leaning against the counter, her ankles crossed, and her hands gripping the tile. She looked cute in tight black jeans, and a simple red tee-shirt. Kind of like a porcelain doll with an attitude. 

He noticed she had made coffee, enough for three people. The food processor gave a nagging buzz, and Minx turned to get her food. Eggs, and two pieces toast. She grasped the plates like a pro waitress. Then moving to the coffee maker, handling the pot with a steady hand. He noticed how she walked, her feet stayed on the ground a little longer then most, and she took smaller steps, that of a dancer. She set her food down with great ease, and sat down.

He walked into the kitchen, Jack looked up immediately. "G'morning Riddick." She said her mouth half full of pancakes. It made him smirk, "Hey kid." She then turned her attention back on Minx. " What is Pluto ll like, I heard it is like that place back on old earth, uhNew Yacht or something." Jack stated, taking a swallow of milk. Minx smiled slightly, when she seemed to notice Jack's milk moustache, she touched her upper lip. Jack took a hint and used her napkin.

"Yeah, it's a lot like New _York_. Especially on the eastside of the planet from where I lived." She said calmly, beginning to eat. Riddick noticed the pain in her words, her mood changed from ease to stressed. Riddick sat down a moment later and ate. He had almost the same as her, except it was a bigger portion. Jack talked about the planets they had seen, and Minx commented on a few of them but didn't say more then a couple of sentences.

Riddick's chrono chirped signaling that it was 15 till 0800. He put his plates in the food processor and hit clean, Minx did the same. "See ya Riddick." Jack called after him. "I'll be back for lunch, like usual. Imam might call today, you know how to screen it." Riddick said casually. He saw Minx at the corner of his eye, waiting at the door. Jack nodded.

They stepped out into the cool hall way in silence. A few people said some good mornings to Minx, calling her Jenny instead. On their way Riddick was stopped by his only assistant, Grant. He was young, but wanted to be seen as a man. He had the same wide eyed expression as Jack. "Hey Riddick, Jenny." He said not taking his eyes off the young woman. Riddick nodded. Minx gave a faint smile, "Hi." She said.

"Hocks wanted me to help you with the wiring today, said it would get tight in some spots, you know the drill." Grant said, still not looking at Riddick. "Yeah. Just come by after lunch." Riddick said. He could tell that Grant was only half hearing what he was saying. "Alright. And Jen, Bengie has some work for you this afternoon, says to go up to the deck after lunch." He said. Minx nodded.

Grant left them in a hurry. Said something about being on an errand. _He's got it bad for her._ Riddick thought feeling a faint smirk at the corner of his lips, as they entered the elevator. They were alone, a faint sent of jasmine and roses drifted over to him. It must have been Minx. The silence filled the lift as it arrived at the mid floor where his office was.

Minx exited with Riddick but was almost run over by a running guy carrying some tools, Riddick grasped her wrist and pulled her backwards a split second before they would have collided. Her back hit his chest, but she was too small to make any impact on him. "Uhthanks Riddick." She said distractedly. "Any time." He answered keeping his tone indifferent. "Are you, going to let me go now?" She asked suddenly. He nodded, swiftly letting her go, not realizing he was still holding on to her wrist. 

There was an awkward silence the rest of the journey to Hocks's office. It was a journey, parts being hauled on carts that took up most of the hall way, people walking quickly from one place to another side by side. Riddick noticed that Minx paid all of her attention to what was around her. Ten minutes later they were sitting in front of Hocks.

"I have been put in a very difficult position. Kyle Gets, my partner in financing this freighter, phoned me yesterday. At our next stop, we will be picking up a load of new freight, but along with it are a couple of people that are there to service it while it is in transit. So, just a warning. Plus I want to talk to you about the work that needs to be done down there." He said standing up. 

Riddick noticed that Minx had relaxed considerably. She had sunk into her chair. "How is the wiring going Riddick?" Hocks asked. "It's coming along but hey need to be melted and fused together. Plus it needs programming." He said. "Well, I'll send Grant down with a burner for you, and have Minx do the programming. The manuals down there as well." He said casually.

After a lengthy talk on the mechanic situation of the ship Riddick and Minx headed down to the main engine room. 


	17. Chapter 12 Minx

The lift doors slid open to reveal a long corridor that didn't seem to have any doors except for the one on her immediate right. It was an inconspicuous single door. That had one palm reader as an entry, a peep hole, and that was it.

She stood next to Riddick. He put his hand on the palm reader and gave a clicking and buzzing noise. Then a moment later it gave a harsh beep, which was paired by a lit up red light. _'Access Denied.' _The robotic female voice said coldly. Riddick tried again, and again it gave him the same cool rejection, except this time it added insult to injury. _'momentarily out of order'_. He swore quietly. She felt the annoyance radiate off of him in waves. He started to look at it, but there was nothing to tamper with.

Minx's mind started to click as she tried to remember anything she knew about palm readers. One thing she remembered clearly, was they were temperamental and finicky things. If the littlest thing went wrong, it wouldn't accept you. Riddick let his hand fall to his side, and she noticed a splotch of grease on the heel of his hand. That was probably it, that and the fact that it wasn't working.

She absently put her palms on the front of her jeans, feeling a hard lump in her pocket. It was her pocket knife. It came with the standard mini laser, file, knife, and screwdriver. Except she got a black market issue that had a wire melting tool that could ruin any standard wire. She thought it was rather smart.

Riddick tried again. But this time it didn't even respond. Sighing she looked at him. "Lemme have a go." She said, taking out her pocket knife. She saw Riddick smirk, "Alright, you're the girl scout." He said in a slightly deeper voice. She shook her head brushing past him to kneel in front of the reader. He stepped back to lean against the wall, with his arms stubbornly folded across his chest. His face expressionless, coupled with that ominous goggled stare. She had to admit he looked entirely menacing like that. Although she couldn't figure out why a sudden spur of heat flowed through her in that moment.

Brushing the feeling away before she could analyze it, Minx turned her full attention to the task of opening the reader. Running her hands along the frame she found a couple of slits. They probably would open it. 

Holding her pocket knife, she touched the top of it. Where there were five buttons one for each tool, she hit the one that chose the knife. It swiftly glided out into the open and locked with a faint click. Sliding the knife into the bottom slit she pulled the knife towards her. A moment later, it gave with a delicate pop. 

Through all of this she felt Riddick's eyes on her. Pausing to slip her knife into the top slit she repeated her previous movement. But this time it didn't budge. She heard Riddick give a slight chuckle. Pulling the small blade out of the slit, she hit the file tool button with her index finger, at the same time pressing the knife button with her middle finger. 

The file slipped out as the knife snapped back in. Letting out a quick huff of breath she slipped the file in the slit, and began to work it back and forth, slowly the door began to give. 

A minute later the palm reader's frame gave an almost audible crack, the door swept smoothly open on it's own, to reveal a forest of multi colored wires. Nestled contently together, intertwining, crossing, and braiding around eachother. _Shit, what a mess!_ Minx mused begrudgingly. 

She started examining the wires, remembering the flash light in the base of her pocket knife she twisted it at the middle, flipping it around she stated to move the wires aside. After a few minutes she found the problem. There were two stripped wires that were not touching. Carefully she moved some neighboring clumps of wires aside. After they were firmly out of her way, she crossed the two wires and used her laser to melt them together. Soon as they touched a couple of lights lit up and a routine of clicking started. 

Pushing the frame shut Minx stood, pocketing her tool. "Now try it, Einstein." She said with a satisfied smirk. She stepped aside at the look he gave her. "Oh, better take that grease off your right hand first." She said motioning to his hand. He removed it using his pant leg, then pressed his hand to the reader. After a couple of seconds and a lot of clicking, a ding sounded, and a green light lit up. _'Access Granted.'_ The feminine voice stated, as the door opened.

Riddick looked at her with a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "My hero." He said sarcastically, allowing her to walk in first. "Anytime." She said mimicking his words from earlier this morning. _Yeah, this girl scout just saved your manly ass._ She thought to herself, allowing a small satisfied smirk to cross her lips.

It disappeared and turned to slight amazement as she noticed the massively equipped engine room that lay before her. It was like a whole other ship entirely. 


	18. Chapter 13 Minx

Minx entered the engine room, she surveyed what laid before her. Like the rest of the ship everything was entirely made of stainless steal. Everything to her left was mechanical, and everything to her right was computers, buttons, switches, panels, and plasma screens that showed data.

The computer side was to her the most impressive, but what caught her eye was something very mechanical. It was the largest thing there, taking up almost all of the entire left wall. It was an eight foot long heavy plastic tube, that was about as big around as a baby elephant, or small car. Inside it had this metal rod that pulsed different colors every few seconds. Her curiosity drew her nearer. A faint humming filled the air, as she looked at the device closer. It was so interesting, yet she had absolutely no idea what it was used for. 

"It's a gravity stabilizer and it manufactures oxygen." She jumped slightly at his voice behind her. She turned around to see Riddick smirking at her, obviously amused by her display. Nodding she stepped away, and crossed the room to the computer side, where she knew she would feel more at ease.

Everything was as about as high tech as you could get. Every piece of being in the ship looked like it was being monitored. The temperature of the ship, the engines, even the computers that were monitoring the ship. Another monitor was damage control, it had an entire digital blueprint of the ship constantly being shown. She looked down at the control panels. It held five key boards, and maybe sixty other buttons. The panels that were on the floor also acted as the light source. Hocks seemed to like that feature.

She was eager to find out what exactly the whole lot did, and what she could do with it. "Hey, ready to get to work." She heard Riddick ask, somewhere behind her. "Yeah, just examining the computer's package, I mean I'm going to be working on it." She said casually, hearing the sound or a locker springing open, and Riddick's chuckle, much like the one she had heard earlier. "You haven't taken a close look at mine yet" He paused, "the mechanics of it." He said in a slightly teasing voice. She bit her lip, this was going to get interesting.

She turned her attention back to the control panel, but was soon distracted by the heavy thump of his boots, the rhythm of his step sounding closer and closer. Finally she felt him come up to stand next to her. She didn't see his face. But only his forearm, then her eyes slid to his hand, where she found a small chip between his thumb and finger. "This is the manual to the wiring system, I need the computer to recognize the wiring I'll be rendering." He said. She nodded. "Take a seat." Riddick offered. She sat down, scooting in slightly.

"Alright, the disk drive is right here, this slot, just slip it in, and push the green button. It takes a couple of seconds." She hadn't realized that when she had sat down, Riddick bent next to her. "Okay." She said, "So what wires do you need?" She asked keeping her tone sounding detached. "I'll give that it you in a minute." He drawled. The manual opened as she shifted farther away from him, as much as her chair would allow.

She knew that if she had been any other woman, right now she probably wouldn't be sitting at this computer, asking him about wires. She openly knew that she felt a slight attraction to him, she wasn't blind. But only two months ago she was Deo's girlfriend of eight years. Just because he was gone it didn't mean only a month later she would just suddenly grab another guy, and forget himno she couldn't do that.

Turning her attention back to the screen she saw he had opened various folders. "Now I need section A-5, D-10, and L-21 put on edit so I can make changes without it shutting down the system. Got it?" He asked casually, some how closer to her then before. "Yeah. Anything else?" She asked absently. "Not right now," The teasing in his voice returned, "Tell me when your done, I'll be fixing the heater. Go down the farthest lane, and make a right." She felt him stroll off, the same sound of his boots trailing away with him.

She bit her lip again, suddenly realizing she missed most of what he had told her. _Shit!_ She thought, _Now what?_ She turned her eyes on the screen, really seeing it for the first time since she sat down. She was relieved when she recognized the program. It was just a simple system, one that she had been taught how to hack into. Moving her hand slightly she felt something brush against it. Looking down she found a small scrap of paper next to her left hand, she noticed the square hand writing, almost like a computers.

Section A-5, D-10, L-21 

She got to work, typing in codes and changing certain settings to make it easier for her to zone off the correct sections of wires for work. The program was fast, and there were a lot of choices to make. Some asking if she wanted to redo the entire system set up. Naturally she avoided those.

She was half way through finishing L-21 when her chrono chirped, lunch, already. She realized she had been working for over three hours straight. Her stomach growled, but ignored it and focused on finishing her work.

The screen was black, with red lettering that turned green when you didn't do something right. The last box on the screen came up, asking if she wanted to deactivate the wiring section of L-21, she highlighted 'accept'. After a moment of cranking, the box disappeared as another one quickly took it's place. It read, _'process complete'._

Sighing she got up out of her chair and stretched. She decided to go tell Riddick that she was done. Walking across the width of the room she noticed the piping for the first time. Amazingly, (like the wires in the palm reader) they crossed over each other, weaving in and out. She studied them for a moment, before her stomach clamored for attention once again. Rolling her eyes she walked across the rest of the room, remembering what Riddick had said. The farthest lane, then make a right.

She found it, suddenly noticing, it too like the hall way in their apartment, was slightly darker then the rest of the engine room. Walking down the length of it she noticed it was about as long as the room was. The lane was about only two feet wide. It was lined with thick gripping rubber, that had little strips that were raised off of the floor so that you bounced slightly when you walked. At the moment she felt like she was drunk and walking on marshmallows.

On either side of the lane was different devices. They all looked extremely important, although she couldn't really tell, all she could do was make out their faint forms. Some were like fuse boxes, others more like the speakers of a sound system. They had holes that she presumed held screws deep inside of them. Others had slits, or card key slots. All of which opened this devises. She almost felt the need to explore.

Her thoughts were broken when she heard the faint sound of a wrench. Making that right turn he told her to take, she found herself going down another lane. This one was just as dark, if not darker. She noticed once she set her foot past the opening the wrench stopped. She could make out the dull length of it, and knew this was pretty long of a path. She guessed it ran about half way across the room. "Riddick." She called normally, but there was no answer. She went down a little farther, "Riddick." She called again, apart of her knowing he could hear her all too well. Silently cursing to herself she stopped walking.

Minx crossed her arms over her chest. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, counting to thirty. She opened them, and found that she could see better, but only just slightly. Barely any light from the front of the room made it's way back here. "Waiting for a bus?" A deep voice rumbled quietly from behind her. Inwardly jumping she turned to see the faint form of Riddick's thick body standing directly behind her.

"How long have you been standing" But she was silenced, when she saw a small spot of light hit his eyes. She had seen shined eyes before, but none like his. Raven had shined eyes, but they were a faint gray, not a bottomless silver. "Long enough." Riddick said, his tone the same, quiet. When she didn't speak right away, she heard that chuckle again. "Like what you see Minx?" He asked, she could here the smirk in his voice.

__

Wake up! Idiot! She silently yelled. Then she blinked. "The wiring is finished, you can work on it now." She said calmly. "Are you always so quick?" He asked slowly, that same smirk present in his voice. She could tell he was enjoying this. Before she could answer, or protest, a familiar voice came from the front of the room.

"Aye, any one alive in here?" Hocks asked loudly. Minx was glad to hear him. She brushed past Riddick as quickly as she could, and made her way back towards the front of the room, slightly annoyed that she had lost her cool especially in that moment.

"Depends on what you consider to be alive." She said as she walked towards Hocks. He smirked. "I came down to see ya. Bengie was wondering if you'd have lunch with him?" He asked, that signature mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Minx couldn't help but smile. "Alright, tell him to break out the champagne." She said with a laugh. "With Bengie, you never have to tell him. He usually insists. Especially to the new crew members." Hocks said.

"Oh, hey Riddick. Breakin' for lunch any time soon, or do you prefer to starve?" He teased. "I'm breaking, but looks like you could skip a lunch or two, old man." Riddick teased, walking up next to Minx, who suddenly felt very small next to the two men.

Hocks just nodded, "Hey, speak for yourself." Hocks moved toward the door. "Better get going before Bengie finishes the bottle himself." He joked. Minx smiled lightly. They were out in the hall before she knew it, then into the elevator. Except for the cranking of the retro machine, everything was silent.

Minx and Hocks got off on the middle floor, but Riddick stayed on. As soon as the doors of the elevator closed Hocks gave her a knowing smile. "So how did you survive? Well, I hope?" He said, inferring Riddick. Minx smirked, "As well as anyone could expect." She said with a knowing smile of her own. "I uhknow about that little slip up with the palm reader this morning. You fixed it well." He complimented. Minx looked at him. "How did you know it was me?" She asked. 

Hocks smirked widely. "Two things. I have a database of all the pocket knives and legal and illegal blades that have been purchased, the database detected it as yours. But for the most partRiddick never uses something as frail as a pocket knife." He said in a hushed tone, still smirking. "He would either blast it off with a laser, or rip it off with his bare hands, it's just his style." Minx nodded, as she wove around a couple of people, that were obviously in a hurry.

A few minutes later they arrived at the mess hall. It was more like a restaurant though. With booths lining the walls and tables cluttering the floor. It had a deep red and pale bronze theme. The lighting was rather subtle, none over head, just the usual floor boards, and lamps on the table tops. She noticed that the tables had table cloths, and the chairs had leather cushions. The mess hall also had a small bar, that appeared to be closed. She scanned the room and noticed some members of the crew from the deck. Nightrow, Leo, Ryan, and lastly Blaine. 

Blaine was leaning casually on the bar's counter, standing in the middle of three very attractive young nurses. All blonde. He was smiling like a fool, as he delivered his punch line, they all laughed. Minx shook her head lightly and turned her attention back to the other men.

Nightrow was sitting with another man that looked just as weird as him, they were leaning close together, locked in an enthusiastic conversation. Nightrow made a strange hand gesture and knocked over his drink sending the liquid flying and landing on a very mean looking nurse. She looked across the room to a bigger table of four where Leo, Ryan, and two other men were lazily conversing. Their legs stretched out, looking inert and easygoing.

She smirked, when she saw Nightrow getting splashed in the face by the nurse. "Nightrow almost burned the place down yesterday. I employ them, not baby-sit them." Hocks said casually, starting to walk off to the left toward a raised deck that held more tables, that were mostly meant to seat only two people. She followed, stifling a laugh as she saw the mean nurse hand Nightrow her number. She turned her gaze in front of her and saw Bengie sitting at a table, watching the display him self, evidently thoroughly amused.

"Here she is." Hocks said smiling, as Bengie looked up. "Thanks Hocks I'll take it from here." He said smiling. "Yeah, I bet you will." He said smirking, "Don't worry he's harmless." Hocks whispered to her. Minx nodded, sitting opposite of Bengie. "Well, see ya round. Stay outta trouble, both of you." Hocks chided, like he was taking to two naughty children.

"So, how are things going down there?" Bengie asked casually, turning to a panel on the wall and pushing a button. It looked like he was scrolling through something. "I survived. Had to deactivate some wires this mourning, that was fun. A whole new lesson in ways of legal torture." She said lightly, watching as a moment later the panel next to him on the wall opened and revealed a hot steaming plate of turkey breast, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a glass of what looked like root beer. It looked good, so she decided to order the same.

"I'm glad you survived that my first time doing something along those lines I somehow set half of it on fire. Naturally after that I was banned from that job." He said with a laugh. Minx smiled, starting to scroll through the list of food. It was like a digital menu. It made tiny beeping noises every time the cursor slid over another item. Finally finding his dish she hit select, and it moved to a different screen that was labeled beverages. "I heard about your old business, identity authors. I only know of two other operations like that in the five nearest galaxies. Must be pretty interesting stuff." He said, taking a swig of his drink. Then giving a slight jump, like some people do when they drink something carbonated.

Minx nodded, her smile fading slightly. "Yeah, it was quite interesting, although I did most of the hacking, and I had a team that did most of the actual creating. I got rid of the original information and they created the new stuff." She said casually. She got quiet as the door on the wall opened and delivered her food. She placed it in front of her and started to eat, all completely in silence. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. It was mean to be the exact opposite." He said apologetically. Minx looked up, and found that he probably honestly meant it. She sighed, and gave him a faint smile. "It's alright. But I prefer not to talk about it. Why don't you tell me about your self." She said, changing the subject. He shrugged, "What do you wanna know?" It was her turn to shrug. "Humm, uh" She paused to take a bite of her turkey, "How did you meet Hocks?" 

"Well technically I should be in Slam right now. I got into some trouble as a young man. My parents died when I was just a teenage lad, I had no relatives so, I had to survive on my own. I did pretty well for my self until I found out that what I was doing was rather extremely illegal. So I was on the run. Naturally being a dumb kid, I made some really stupid mistakes, the mercs out smarted me, and I got caught after only three hours of running. I was taken to this very desolate planet, out in the Marco Plates." He paused at her obvious confusion.

"What are the Marco Plates?" She asked. "It's a galaxy that shifted the wrong way, and ended up falling into a permanent ice age, there for all of the planets in the system were basically ice." He said. "Must've been cold." She commented absently, noticing he was good at telling stories. A very animated man, who used his hands, and face to convey his message. His eye brows were radically bushy and paired with the rest of his features it made him look like a cartoon character.

"Any way, I was taken to this temporary holding station, where they had to keep me for seventeen days. It was horrible. They practically drug me down this long hall way of deserted cells. When these people took breaths you could tell, little clouds of frozen breath hung everywhere. I had escaped Tranica Island. You know on average in the winter it is 75 deg. I was in knee shorts, and a flower print tee shirt, with flip flops. Upon arriving I turned a nice shade of deep blue." She laughed softly watching as he pretended to shake.

"Well, moving on. Uh, I near this cell the only one with another human life form. So the guard opens the cell door, and keep in mind that I was an even smaller guy then I am now, A tooth pick had more muscle then me! So, he literally picks me up and tosses me into the cell. I guess he was being smart, and I landed right on this guy. He was huge. Naturally I was completely scared I thought he was going to break every bone in my body. But he just grunted, and muttered something about there food quality going down, and how they didn't even bother to kill it before they threw it at him." He said pausing to eat his own food.

Minx was enjoying herself. He reminded her of her uncle Joey. He was a lot like him. "Sounds like Hocks." She said with a slight chuckle. "So how did you two escape anyway?" She asked in between bites. Not realizing when she ordered it, the plate would be the size of a small ship. He smiled. "Well it wasn't exactly Hocks that got us out it was" But he paused, and looked down at his food. His expression changed from light to hesitant. "It was?" She asked, not really sure she wanted to know. "Your father, and Heath McGraw. Deo's dad." He said quietly.

Minx sat back. Suddenly not as hungry. "I remember Sir McGraw. He was something." She said. Taking a slow sip of her drink. "Yeah. He was interesting. But your father was the crazy one." He said shaking his head, a faint smile on his lips. "I'll bet." She said looking up and meeting his eyes. She was determined to get through her day without being stopped by the pain of Deo's death. Sure she was in morning but she couldn't stop being happy, even if it was just for a moment.

When Bengie felt it safe to go on, he continued. "Well, we got out with the help of a very powerful space hot rod, that your dad had stolen from his boss that had just fired him." He said with a chuckle. "Really? How did he" But Bengie held up his hands. "Let me set this up first." He said proudly. She nodded.

"Now this place is so cold that the regular construction machinery stalls and shuts down before it even is started up. So they can't build normally like the other galaxies. So, they used all ice and bars of steel that were imported to make their buildings. Keeping that in mind, and knowing that ice can melt. Here comes your dad in this hot rod, with a rocket turbo booster." She shook her head knowing what was coming.

"He backs his ship towards the front of the building, revs up and floors the throttle, kicking in the turbo boosters. The rocket lights up, it's flames shoot out the back and they take off in a shot of light. Intern, melting away the entire left half of the building. A moment later he appears at our cell and escorts us out of this melting mess. And we take off. Hocks lets your dad and I work with him in the manufacturing sector of the galaxy and that's when your mom and dad met, she was a welder." He finished both his story and his meal, a look of complete satisfaction on his face. She smiled. "Wow. That must've set those ice age goons back a few." She said with a slight smirk. Bengie laughed. "Yeah last I heard they were still trying to rebuild it. Word got out and the other inmates who had connections did the same." She shook her head, stuffed to the brim with really fabulous food.

Bengie's chrono chirped signaling the end of their lunch. "Better get back to work." He said lightly getting up out of his chair and slipping his plate back into the panel on the wall. After helping Minx do hers, they headed up to the main deck, where she would be doing some work for him for the rest of her day.

They passed Blaine, Ryan, and Leo who where heading up as well. Blaine and Ryan said there warm and unique hellos, except for Leo who just gave an icy nod. Blaine smirked at her, "Why didn't you come and sit with us. You would have found it interesting." He said with a raise of his eye brows, "Instead of talking about the weather with our senior citizen of the month." He joked. Ryan and Leo smirked. She returned the smirk, and added her own chuckle.

"Yes, it would've been interesting," She said slowly as they reached their separate elevators. "But giving myself a shot of novocaine would've been more fun." She said, as Bengie and her entered their elevator. Blaine didn't answer her, she just smirked at him as the doors closed.

"Thank you for that." Bengie said after the moment had passed, "Sometimes they came be such" He was trying not to swear. Minx smirked, "Assholes? Yeah I know. Anytime you need a custom insult just call me and I'll deliver." She responded confidently. "Just like your dad. Always the smart mouth." He said. She took it as a compliment. 


	19. Chapter 14 Jack

The smell of a slightly grilled melted cheese sandwich and tomato soup floated through the air summoning a very concentrated Jack. She was scanning the web for any information about Minx. Although she was having a very difficult time finding anything that half resembled something of the truth.

Jack still didn't really trust her, although she seemed alright so far. Jack scrolled through the fiftieth page of information. If you could call it that. It was some stuff on her criminal record. It stated that she once performed a job for a government official, all under the table, Jack supposed. The list seemed to go on and on. Then she came upon something else, it was about Minx's supposed parents. Their death mostly. There was much speculation about their death. Some said it was an accident, the police on the other hand thought different. They said it was murder. Yet they had no suspects. Eventually the investigation was dropped, for lack of evidence, and things moved on.

"She's got a lot of dirt." Jack said quietly. She noticed Riddick was late for lunch, apart of her worried but another shrugged it off. _He's probably fine._ She reassured herself. Standing up, she went into the kitchen. Picking her food carefully out of the food processor, she set it down on the table. Then there was a loud chime. It was the mail port. Her hands jerked, causing some of the hot soup to spill onto her left hand. "OooooohShit!" She whined, running the cool water of the tap, and thrusting her hand under the calming spray.

A tear raced down her cheek, roughly she scraped it away. Letting out a frustrated huff, she dried her now light scarlet colored hand, and went over to the mail port. She bent and gazed through the clear glass. Seeing a medium sized parcel. The envelope was a bright tan color, it looked like it had bubble wrap inside. There was some faint writing on the front of it, a scrawl of cursive ending in her name, _Minx_.

Pulling on the slightly chilled metal handle, her palm got instantly sweaty. Partially because she knew she wasn't supposed to take anything out of that mail port. It was one of Riddick's rules, just incase it was a bomb or something. The glass hatch was heavy, it's weight pushed down as she tried to lift it up. Quickly she slid her hand inside, her fingertips nearing the smooth paper. "Jack?" She jumped almost dropping the glass hatch on her good hand.

She turned around to she a very displeased, and intent looking Riddick. His smooth and dark eminence filled the air around them. Snatching her hand out of the square cut out, and letting her hand fall to her side, she slowly and carefully eased the glass door back into it's rightful place. Closed. It finally shut with some effort on her part. Cutting her gaze back to Riddick she found that he was smirking.

"Caught with her hand in the cookie jar." He taunted calmly, the smirk fading all too rapidly for her own comfort. He paused and just looked at her, through that goggled stare. A moment turned into a few, then the few seemed to drag on for hours. He just stood there unmoving, his expression never changing. It was starting to get on her nerves. "Well?" She asked, not completely looking at him.

Finally he turned his head, and walked toward her. His movements more precise and slow then usual, if that was at all possible. He stopped as he stood right in front of her, close enough she forgot that she was even the slightest annoyed, or intimidated. It was utterly distracting. Jack looked up at him, and noticed his expression had softened considerably.

"Jack, I thought I made it clear that just reaching in there is dangerous. It could be a bomb, or contaminated. It's not safe. Remember?" He asked. Draping his hand over her shoulder. She inwardly jumped, as she tried to concentrate on the real situation at hand. "Yeah. But" She stopped at the look he gave her. "Alright," She said lightly, "Nuff said." She walked over to the kitchen table, pulling out her chair, she noticed Riddick was imputing something into the panel next to the mail port. It gave a chirp and a white light scanned across the package.

After it was apparently done, with whatever it was told to do, Riddick lifted the hatch with ease, and took the package out. He stood looking at it for a moment. His brow slightly furrowed. Turning his back he put it on the coffee table in the livingroom. With a look of impassiveness, he finally joined her in the kitchen. "Lights to 20%." He ordered, while peeling off his goggles. She studied him, her eyes watching his measured manner, and his deadpan expression. 

After a moment of tying to tuff it out, her curiosity was slaying her. She put down the slightly munched brown crust, "Well?" She asked, for the second time today. He didn't look at her as he punched in what he wanted for lunch. He waited not answering her. She waited, giving him a moment, but when he didn't answer, she slumped back into her chair. _Of all the times for him to slip into a long period of silence! _She thought with a small eye roll.

"It's just something for Minx." He said blankly, drawing out her name, at the same time his tone changing slightly. Jack studied him for a moment, she could tell the wheels in that slightly stubbled head of his were turning. He was thinking something more, but what exactly, he was definitely not intending to tell her. She popped the slightly over toasted crust into her mouth and chewed roughly. He still treated her like a child. She was beginning to get annoyed.

The lunch went quietly, they hardly spoke to one another. Jack tried, but he just seemed preoccupied with something. Naturally she was wondering, _what_. He hadn't lapsed into this heavy of a silence in a while. Moments passed and she could tell he was deeply in thought. But again she vigorously wonderedabout what.

Her mind went into overdrive and she started to come up with some logical possibilities.

He could be thinking about how she had disobeyed him, and that he might be mad. But it was a small thing, and she hadn't even protested. _Scratch that._ Jack thought, moving on to her next thought. He could be thinking about that package that Minx had gotten just now. Thinking that was a definite possibility, she let her mind reel for a minute. Replaying the events from the moment he came through the door to when they had started eating. _Humm._

Jack thought about what had happened, then what he had said. Her mind drew a blank. She finished her sandwich and moved to her soup. On her last spoon, she remembered that his tone hadn't changed that much until he said Minx's name. _Maybe he doesn't like her._ _Or maybe_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the whirring of the Video Phone in the livingroom. It even seemed to break Riddick from his semi-trance as well. They both got up, going into the livingroom. Sitting down, Jack pushed a couple of keys and the computer scanned the call, after a pause of and some cranking it gave them the info.

[Call clear: Caller on approved list: Imam: Location: Luna 7: Call waiting]

Jack hit the accept button, and Imam's face appeared on the screen. He was a bit thinner then when she last saw him. Boy, she'd never forget that day. It was the morning after they'd escaped T2, she was sore, tired, hungry. She was certain that she had felt every emotion there ever was. They were flying the damaged skiff toward his home on Luna 7.

Luna 7 was a religious planet. She remembered Imam's description vividly, "It's safe, solemn, and proper. Not a drop of firewater or shame." By firewater she supposed he meant liquor. "The days are warm and the nights are cold. We have two suns and three moons. It is beautiful, in a quiet sort of way. A person could spend their whole life on this planet and spend it at peace." She could tell he was proud. He seemed to be as eager as ever to set foot on that clean terrain, even more eager then he had been to get off T2. Which to Jack never made any sense.

She never saw the planet for herself, but she had said goodbye to Imam as they touched the ground. She could see fear and anger in his eyes, she guessed he was angry at Riddick, and feared for her. Why, she could give a good guess. 

A life with an escaped and extremely wanted convict, was not right for a young girl such as her. She had her strong disagreements with that. She knew that Riddick would never let anything happen to her, she trusted him with her life, and Imam knew that. That was probably the only reason that Imam let her stay with Riddick.

He didn't say much to Riddick, neither did Riddick say anything to him. All Imam said was a very shot sentence. "Remember our deal. You promised." Imam turned to walk down the ramp, but he stopped and turned his head. Riddick and Imam just stood there, looking at eachother. Finally Riddick spoke. "You have my word Imam." His voice was sober, his expression blank. Whatever he had promised was obviously important, the fact that he actually called him Imam, was a first.

"Hello Jack." Imam's smooth and powerful voice broke her recollection. Blinking a couple of times, the screen came back into focus. "Hi, how are you?" She asked as casually as possible. The Imam on the screen smiled. "Serene. I am calling to see how your studies are going Jack." At this Jack inwardly cringed. It had been three days since she read a word, she was still on the first book, and she had four more to go.

"I'd been meaning to talk to you about that Imam. I still am on the 1st book." She reported hesitantly, looking down at her hands. She saw Imam shake his head slightly. "That is a problem Child. You are behind in our schooling, and it starts in only two months. Look get as much as you can out of them, and we'll take it from there. At least make an effort." He said calmly. She didn't feel threatened, or upset. So she just nodded, what was the point with arguing when she knew that she would end up doing it anyway.

"What is this school like?" She asked curiously, looking back to the plasma screen. "Well, it's an all girls school. Very much like a real abbey. You pray, do chores, sing, learn. Things among that sort. The girls here seem to like it well enough, you'll have little to no problems, I hope." He said with a sly smile._ Fat chance!_ Jack promised quickly. For reason alone that the girls liked it, she knew she was going to have problems. She just hopped for her sanity that she could find some rebel group or something, at least maybe she could relate to those girls, but she doubted it.

"I have some thing to talk to Riddick about, in private." He said, his tone loosing it's lightness. She felt Riddick move up behind her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and nodded. Pushing the chair backwards and walking methodically out of the living room.

Once in her room she sat on the edge of her bed. Her hands gently twitching in her lap, She hung head slightly. This was not a good sign. The last time this happened she found out that she was leaving Riddick. That was how she got here. Aboard this ship, in this apartment, reaching the destination of Luna 7. She had to admit to herself that she was worried, this could only mean nothing good. _What could it be this time?_ She wondered.

Laying back she looked blankly up at the ceiling. Various thoughts and memories came drifting into mind, taking her away from reality. Her visions were clouded, and most of them, she found, she couldn't tell what they really were. Closing her eyes she was immediately brought back to an earlier time in her life, a more certain one.

It was at the first orphanage that she was ever in. It was a pleasant place. One where the cutest and healthiest of children could be found. She saw her six year old self, standing at the bay window in the T.V/Play room. Everything was quiet around her. The white snow was falling onto the black cemented ground. She watched the lights of the city twinkle and shine against the night sky. After a while some lights just flickered away, and never came back, others replaced them.

She observed the two story fairytale homes across the street, where the other children had families, and their own rooms. The smell of smoke filled the air, as all the fireplaces on her side of the planet seemed to join in a symphony of perfectly timed puffs of white clouds. 

It all looked so perfect. Then the church bell rung a slow melody of 'silent night'. She heard the faint sounds of the children's choir singing along, like so many angels. For it was Christmas eve, her favorite night of the year. She used to think that Santa Clause would come to the door step and bring her parents back to her, and every year he wouldn't come. But this Christmas she got her wish. A dutiful family had chosen her as their new daughter.

The memory faded as another took it's place. At first she didn't recognize it but after a moment it became clearer. It was approximately seven years from that beautiful Christmas eve, she was frantically packing her bag in her bedroom. Her dutiful parents had turned out to be, (at the time) the galaxies biggest black market acid and laser dealers, and the place was being raided by the police. Luckily for her, she had a close friend, Marsh, who would let her stay at her place for a while, just until she could figure out where the hell to go from here.

It was a chilling and misty night. The houses were gravely quiet, and so were the streets that led to them. These policemen had come on foot, strangely enough, and she had heard them rummaging around downstairs. She also caught faint whispers and muffled footsteps. She took one last look at her room. 

It was simple with light sky blue walls. Her nightstands, desk, chair, and door were a glowing and pure white. Here eyes trailed absently back to her circular nightstand, on top of it was a very expensive red and green Tiffany lamp, and to the right of it's black wrought iron base was a brass framed portrait of her supposed family. 

She had an older adopted sister. Her name was Danielle, surprisingly she treated Jack rather well. Her mother was beautiful, her name was Connie. She always was perfect. Her cooking was always exquisite, her clothes never wrinkled, and her make-up never smudged nor faded. 

Dan, her father was rough around the edges. He was, by nature, an inert, and stiff man. He referred to his two daughters as _'Connie's hobby. And my most charming financial responsibility.' _Her parents were civil towards eachother, almost cold. They treated her well, and gave her everything she needed, plus more. But it was all boring and meaningless to Jack. Things that they did didn't seem to matter to her. It all seemed like an act and sure enough it was. The family slowly crumpled, and all traces of ordinary blew away with time.

Her mother became distant and her father disappeared. He was there, but just wasn't around. Danielle married, moved off the planet, and they never heard from again. Now while both Jack's parents were away, their house was being raided and Jack was the only one who knew.

Shaking her head, she looked out of her window, then down. The alleyway was clear of any signs of life. And it was perfect to make her escape. There was a fire ladder, and she was only up on the second floor. Their house was smaller then every one else's on that block, so their second floor was most people's basements. Climbing in a cat like fashion toward the ground she looked around for any signs of policemen or any one else. When she found none she let her feet touch the concrete. Keeping her back flush against the wall she looked out onto the residential street. All was clear, turning on her heal she headed down the side walk. Away from her home, and away from her certainties.

Suddenly a gentle shaking brought her back to the present. She opened her eyes to have her vision filled with the sight of Riddick. Sighing lightly, she looked up at him through half lidded eyes. As usual his expression was unreadable. Sitting up she noticed her head grow heavy, and seem to spin slightly. Rubbing her eyes and stretching, she felt clammy and a little fuzzy. Shaking her head gingerly, she finally returned her gaze to Riddick.

She found him sitting patiently next to her on the bed. They had been through this sort of thing before. She'd be on her back and then he'd wake her, and she'd always feel the same after she had, had those memories, _sick_. Out of nowhere, he handed her a glass of water. Wordlessly she took it, and against her better judgement took a vast gulp.

Almost immediately, her body retaliated, causing her to cough. Riddick gave her a lopsided smirk, "You know better then that Jack." He half chided. His voice was softer then usual, she quickly noted, as she braced herself for some unpleasant news. 

After her racking cough stopped, she looked at him. "Well?" She knew that she had said that at least three times today, but it just seemed to sum up all her many, many, many questions. Especially when it concerned Riddick, or her. He looked at her for a long moment, and let out a soundless breath. "We can talk about it later Jack, just get some rest." He said with some conviction. 

But she shook her head, "No, Riddick. I wanna talk about it now. What did Imam have to say?" She asked firmly. He looked away slightly. She could tell he was trying to come up with something. Standing he pulled the chair away from her desk and sat. She kept her self sane by watching the five black plastic casters glide across the floor. Waiting, she observed her hands, pretending that they were fastening and new creatures.

"Imam called to tell me some news. He said that one of the suns were getting ready to fade, in about a month from now. That means after it fades a new one will start to form to take it's place. It's so hot that anything that tries to enter the planet through the sky will automatically burn up. That period lasts for about another month after wards." He said not taking his eyes away from her, while she had conveniently kept hers plastered on her right thumb.

She let out a quick breath, "So?" She pushed, she knew that this little astronomy lesson had something to do with her. "So, it means, that your going to have to go to Imam a month early." He said quietly. Jack's head snapped up. Her eyes suddenly full of anger.

"No, that means I can stay with you for another two months. Why are you so insistent on getting rid of me?" She asked in a hurt tone. She couldn't believe this! How could he do this, so easy to drop her off, give her away, have her out of his life. "No, Jack. I'm not so insistent on getting rid of you." He said softly, "I justwant you to have a normal life, a safe one. Where, you won't be risking it every minute by being with me." She saw his eyes they were open and focused.

She nodded, suddenly feeling tired. "I understand. You think your doing me such a great favor by dumping me off on him just so you can have a great life and forget all about me." She said her tone rising. "So you can find some woman, have a kid, and just forget about all the shit that has happened." She said. Riddick looked away. "Jacklisten to me.." 

But she didn't listen. " No, you listen to me! I care about you, you're the only person I wanna be with. I don't want the life that your pushing me into. I don't wanna be sheltered. I want to be WITH YOU!!!" She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt numb, she had no idea what she was doing. Weather she was sitting or standing, walking or still. She didn't even have an inkling weather she was breathing or not, all she could do was concentrate on the man that was before her.

The one she looked up tothe one thatshe loved. She noticed him pull her closer to him. "Jack, I'm doing all this for a reason. You know what that reason is?" He asked, her last rant of anger not seeming to phase him. She found herself sighing. "You want me to have a good life." She answered. He nodded. "Yeah, you deserve it. You don't deserve to be running from Mercs, or living from planet to planet, scared that if you get too familiar with the place that it could mean the end of you. That's not living Jack! It's surviving. I love you kid. I wanna see you do better then me." He said calmly. Her mind overloaded_he loves me_ Amazingly she understood. His words made the longing of wanting to be with him grow. He had her heart, her love and her trust. Damn, he had all of her.

They hadn't spoken for a long while, when she finally moved away from him. "I'm gonna read for a while Riddick." She said softly. "Go back to work." Riddick nodded. He seemed to understand. He left with out another word. She laid on her bed and opened her book. Called, _Fly Away_. It was about a girl and her dreams. She wanted to live the life she dreamed about. Jack seemed to relate to that exactly. 

~~~~

Some time later she looked over at the clock. She noticed it was late night. She thought it was all a dream when she remembered Riddick had said he loved her. She was so thrilled to finally know that he felt the same way as she did. He had to know how she felt and she decided to get up the courage and tell him.

Getting out of bed she pulled on her pants and headed out her door. Walking down the dimly lit hall way she finally stopped outside his door. She held herself off from opening it just yet, closing her eyes she tried to think of how she would tell him. 

__

She walks quietly into the room, and sees him lying on the bed. Calling his name she knows he would hear her. Slowly he opens his eyes. He looks worried for a moment but she would give him a slight smile. She tells him, that she loves him too, and feels the same. Then he would pull her into a lingering hug and

Before she could get carried away she shook herself back to reality, and pressed the open button on his door. Entering his room, she looked at him quietly sleeping. Moving closer she came to the side of his bed, it was now or never. 


	20. Chapter 15 Minx and Jack

__

Ties of Emotion

She laid in his arms, she was tired, but goodly so. The air was heavy around them and she felt it was covering her like a warm blanket. His gentle breathing washing over her neck. His strong arms around her. She knew it was wrong to be with him, but some how it just felt right. Looking up into his dark eyes, she lovingly stroked his cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open as the last of her precious memory left her. She gazed forward not really seeing anything. Mentally slapping herself, she pushed her back up off the soft mattress of her white clad bed. She had been in this ship for a short week now, and was slowly adjusting. Standing up, she stretched then abruptly she stopped. Something had changed, something was wrong.

Shaking her head, as if to clear it, she walked over to her closet and got dressed. Although the feeling stuck with her. Something was wrong. She felt it standing in front of her own face, so clear, and present. Her heart rate was slightly irregular, yet she didn't know why.

Entering the kitchen it got worse, so intense that she felt like she was being strangled. She felt it crawl on her skin, and flow freely through her blood. _God, what had happened last night?_ She wondered warily.

She was alone in the overly white and bare kitchen. Even in the semi-darkness everything felt too bright. The room had an odd chill to it, as if someone had turned on the air conditioner to full blast. The sound of a swoosh cut through the air, as a door opened. She saw a glimpse of black fabric and tanned skin, turning her head quickly she saw it was Riddick. Despite his fluid movements his features were extreme and ragged. He looked like he was cast in stone. His jaw was clenched, and every muscle in his body was pulled tight. In this moment he was terrifying.

He passed by without acknowledging she existed, which she was greatly thankful for. She had a very strong inkling that when Riddick was upset, even the devil himself would be a fool not to be scared. She heard the doors close behind him, and let out a breath. But it was choked off prematurely when Jack walked into the room.

The young girl looked horrible. Jack's clothes were wrinkled, and out of place, it looked like she had dressed in the dark. But that was the least of her problems. She walked around in a haze, almost as if she had been drugged. 

Jack looked like a ghost. Her skin held no apparent color. Her complexion was maybe two times lighter then usual. The only color evident was in her semi-red cheeks, that in some spots were pinkish from her tears that had dried. Her brown doe-eyes were half closed, they seemed to be transparent, all the light disappeared. Leaving them flat and endless.

Minx's heart ached. She had seen that in herself recently. But who could it be that did this to Jack. _Riddick you bimbo._ She realized absently. "Jack?" Minx asked softly touching the girls forearm. But Jack backed away quickly as if Minx just burned her. She said nothing and walked over to the food processor and ordered some warm milk. She just stood there unmoving and slumped over. When she felt Jack, her arm was clammy and cold.

The warm milk appeared in the door of the food processor as Minx's chrono gave a small chirp signaling it was time for Minx to join Riddick in the cargo hold, where they would be doing some repairs. Hocks had told her about it yesterday. Naturally she could care less about that at the moment. 

"I'll be fine Minxjust go." Jack whispered weakly. Minx was almost startled to hear her voice. She didn't expect anything. Nodding she turned to leave. But stopped half way to the door. "Jack if you need anything just call me." She said matching Jack's quiet tone. Looking into the kitchen she was startled when she didn't see Jack. She heard a muffled breath, and a slight gasp. Crying.

Minx followed the noise, and found Jack on the white tile floor of the kitchen. Her head on her knees, her hands at her feet. She was shaking slightly. Without missing half a heartbeat she lowered herself onto the floor, and pulled Jack to her side. Jack pulled away, and got up from the floor in a flash of movement. She didn't say a word as her pale form disappeared into the hall. Minx followed at her heels. Jack took a sharp left into her room and shut the door, in her face.

Minx put her hand on it. The metal tingling under her finger tips, her heart racing, her mind and thoughts of logic in a torrid whirl. Running her hand threw her hair, she scrambled to think about what to do. 

There were only two times in her life that she had witnessed first hand that pale and sinking feeling. Those two times were enough for her: the news that her parents weren't coming back, and when Deo had died. She remembered the first morning she had woken without him. She looked in the mirror and saw that she was a ghostly white, those transparent brown eyes staring back at her, and felt the cool sticky skin, that all belonged to her. It took her a couple of days for her skin color to return to normal, and her temperature to go back up, but eventually she was okay. She just hoped that Jack would be too. 

~~~~~~~Jack

Running into her room she leaned against the solid wall. Her mind was blank and she was doing things on impulse. She wanted to let Minx console her but for some reason she had decided to run. She knew what she looked like and knew how she must have come across to Minx. She felt someone at her door, and guessed without a mini doubt that it was her.

Jack felt hopeless, and tired. She felt like shit because of what happened last night. This morning she realized it had been a total and complete mistake, that she would surely never make again. 

"Jack?" She heard Minx's semi-calm voice through the intercom on her wall that was tacked up next to her door. She didn't know if she could answer, her throat was sore from all her gasping and crying. She was exhausted. Letting her head fall back to rest on the cool dry wall, her eyes slid over and gazed at the door.

~~~~~~Minx

Minx let her eyes fall shut as she received no answer from Jack. _Damn, what am I going to do? _She thought frantically. Quickly she ran though her memories of Raven. Minx remembered an incident very similar to this one that happened several years ago, in a whole other life time. Only it was her in Jack's place and Raven was the one talking to the door. _I was so young. So miserable and confused._ Minx reflected sincerely. Wondering if that was the way Jack was feeling right now. She decided to try again. 

Minx pushed down on the speaker button on the intercom by the door, "Jack?" She called calmly. And was relieved when she heard a muffled sound vibrate through the speaker. After a moment her speaker clicked off and was followed by Jack's very annoyed, but very weak voice. "Yeah, I'm here. So, go away! I don't wanna talk to you." Minx almost obeyed, but the hurt in Jack's voice made her hold her ground.

"What's wrong?" She asked as casually and calmly as she could. There was a long pause. One that was uncertain. Minx shifted her weight to her other foot, and waited.

~~~~~~~Jack

Jack paused. Her eyes flooding up with a new set of tears. She knew that she would probably like this all day. Jack pressed her speaker button on the intercom. ""What's wrong is none of your business Minx." She said as coldly as she could, not knowing how much longer she could keep this act up. She felt so broken-hearted, and emotionally bruised.

"Look, I know that we've only known eachother for a short time but" She began, but Jack rolled her eyes and cut her off. "Your just saying that bull shit to make me feel better, well you know what? I still don't wanna talk to you, **and** it ain't making me feel better!" Jack said into the speaker.

Apart of her felt the need to be held and comforted. But that part of her was weak. She could get though this by herself, she didn't need any ones help. Not hers, nor Riddick's. Especially not Riddick's. She decided to be stubborn. Something she knew she was good at.

~~~~~~~Minx

Minx took a deep breath. _Man,_ _was I always this difficult?_ She wondered cryptically. Shrugging it off, she returned to the task at hand. "I just wanna know what's going on with you." She said. Not knowing how she came across, and almost not caring. She was just worried. And to tell the whole truthin Minx's eyes Jack was like a little sister to her, therefore she cared. But how could she say something so emotional and syrupy to very a pist teenage girl?

"I don't believe that." The speaker said shortly. Minx had to admit that she felt funny arguing with a speaker. She decided to get stubborn, she wasn't about to loose a fight with a teenager. "Fine, since you don't believe me there is only one thing left to do." She said stopping purposely, hopping that this little trick would force Jack to finish the sentence for her. And to her surprise, she did.

"And what would that be?" She asked sarcastically. Minx gave a slight smile at her small victory. "I have to convince you." She said a little lightness in her voice. At least she got Jack to speak to her, that was something anyway. Now the next step was to get her to let her in. That wasn't going to be as easy.

"And to convince you we're going to play a little game." She said calmly. Taking a chance. She had no clue what she was going to do if this backfired. _Maybe I'll just ram the door down. _She thought, hopping that it wouldn't come to that, because she didn't know if she was strong enough. "Alright?" She asked. There was no response. She decided to push her luck even farther, feeling rather confident. "Alright, _kid_?" She knew that would get to her.

~~~~~~~Jack

At the sound of Minx calling her _kid_, Jack cringed. She sure knew how to rattle her,_ but just how exactly did she know_, was Jack's question. "Kid?" There she went again. Jack clenched her fists. "I'll play your stupid gamejust DON'T call me kid." She ordered furiously. Hoping her anger radiated through the door.

It wasn't really directed at Minx. Mostly at herself, and some to Riddick. Jack noticed the sudden quietness. But it was gone before she could enjoy any of it. "Here's the way it's going to work. You take four steps away from the door. And for every time I say something true about how I think your feeling you take one step towards the door. And for every time I say something wrong you stay where you are. If I get the four right you will find yourself at the door and you'll have to let me in and tell me what's wrong. If I loose, then I leave you alone, and ask no more questions." She said simply.

Jack considered it for a moment. "What if I don't play your little game?" Jack asked smartly, pleased with herself, and just waiting to see how she responded. "I'll get Riddick and he'll break the door down for me. And then you can tell us _both_ what is wrong." She said not missing a beat._ Damn, she's tough!_ Jack thought rolling her eyes. "I'll play." She said reluctantly, already feeling easily defeated.

"Wise." Minx said with a slight smile in her voice. Jack's fists clenched tighter, as she took four steps back. "Alright, ready?" She didn't wait. "Good." There was a slight pause. "Here comes the first one." She said calmly. "It's about one certain guy." She said.

Jack's eye brows shot up slightly as she took a step forward. Only three more to go.

~~~~~~~Minx

Minx was hoping like hell she was right about this. She was only half sure of herself when she threatened to get Riddick. She wasn't quite sure that he would listen to her. She shook her head and did the next one.

"You feel miserable." She said, knowing that this one was plain as day. But it would get Jack at least one step closer to the door (she hoped). Waiting a moment she pressed on. "Your blaming yourself." She really didn't know if her little plan was working.

Before she could open her mouth to say another word, the door opened. Standing there she was face to face with a teary eyed Jack. Minx could help but reach out and touch her shoulder, she was surprised to find that this time she didn't pull away. A second later her tears spilled over onto her cheeks. Minx threw an arm around her and walked into her bedroom.

Jack sat on the floor, and she followed her down. Their backs rested against the bed.

The air around them was filled with the sounds of her almost quiet sobs. She held onto her as Jack cried. Minx's heart wrenched. She felt like she was fourteen again. She rocked her, and smoothed her hand up and down her back. After a few minutes her crying let up a little. "Shhh, its okay." She whispered softly.

Minx closed her eyes, and lost herself in the moment, and in the young girl in her arms. After a while Jack stiffened, and pulled back. "I guess you won, huh?" She asked. Minx shook her head. "Nah." She said, this was a game that had no victory. "I guess I should tell you what's wrong." She said slowly. Minx looked at her for a moment, for the first time noticing she was still cold and pale. "Only if you want to." Minx snagged a blanket from the top of the bed and pulled it around Jack shoulder's, as she rested against the bed, looking worn out, like a tattered rag doll. 

~~~~~~~Jack

"You were right it is about a guy. One guy." She said slowly. Knowing that if she didn't tell someone, she was sure to explode, sooner or later. "It all started yesterday when I got a call from a friend of ours, named Imam. Riddick is sending me to live with him. That's why were on this ship." She said, her breath catching on Riddick's name.

Minx was silent as she nodded. Judging by the look in her eyes, Jack guessed that she knew what was coming, or had a very clear hint. "But yesterday I learned that I'm going to have to go to the planet a month early." She said with a distressed sigh. Minx yet again nodded. "But the thing is I don't wanna leave him. And live on that horribly safe and dull planet. It's just that I" She trailed off. 

"You love him." Minx stated softly. Jack nodded. "Yeah. And I wanna be with him." She said, relieved that no more tears seemed to be coming. "He told me that he loved me." She said her voice going down to barely a hair above a whisper. "So, last night I came to the conclusion I wanted to tell him I felt the same way, that I" she paused to swallow and regain some of her composure. "Loved him, like he had said he loved me." She said, feeling Minx move slightly closer. Jack appreciated it, even thought she hated to admit the fact that she felt amazingly weak at the moment.

"I got to his room and sat on the bed." She said pushing herself. "That woke him. And with out really thinking about it I blurted out that I loved him." She said. Seeing the night before fresh in her mind like she was there again. She almost felt like her body was being sucked backwards. "He started to say something but I stopped him. I" She paused to ashamed to go on.

Minx didn't say anything. She just waited patiently, gently pulling the blanket around her shoulders. It was several long minutes before she could even begin to find her voice.

~~~~~~~Minx

She watched as the girl in front of her looked away, and hung her head. Burring her face in her hands. "Ikissed him." It came out muffled, but Minx understood. Minx put her arm around her and looked at Jack. She was trying so hard to be strong, and she was exceeding more then she thought. It took so much to admit something like this, and to almost a complete stranger. Jack didn't cry again, but hit her knee with her fist, while abruptly jerking up.

"GOD!!!! How could I have been so blind?" She wondered out loud. Not talking to Minx, but more to herself. "After a moment, he told me that he loved me like he did his daughter. And that he didn't mean it that way. He said he was sorry. But it" This time Minx decided to help her. "But it didn't seem to help things, it only made it worse." She said solemnly, looking at her. "Jack I have to tell you. I did the same. I thought that the man I had been secretly loving, loved me too. Only like a lover not a daughter. It really hurt." She said, watching as she saw Jack nod and understand.

"So, what happened?" Jack asked after a moment of studying her hands, Minx gave her a smirk. "I did the stupid thing. I ran away, and almost got killed. Deo saved me and slowly we got past the fact that he didn't love me that way. It was a long time before I got over that. And you'll get over it too, I swear you will." She finished, already feeling like she said too much. 

~~~~~~~Jack

Jack let out a long slow breath. She had gotten it all out, and suddenly the adrenaline had worn off. She yawned. "That's what happened, Minx. My biggest act of stupidity for my entire life." Minx gave her a small laugh. "I could identify with that." She said. Jack could tell that Minx was sad as well. Her shoulders were drooping slightly. And she looked tired herself.

"Look, just get some sleep. If you want, you can take a bath in my Jacuzzi." She offered kindly, a pain in her brown eyes. Jack felt a slight sadness wash through the pit of her stomach for Minx. _It must hurt loosing your boyfriend like that, so sudden._ Jack shook her head, stopping herself from asking about him just yet.

She yawned again. "I think I'll do that." She said heading towards the hall. Minx followed, they entered her room, then walked into her bathroom. Flicking on the light, the bathroom was flooded with a warm bronze glow. She pulled back the curtain and started the water. "The controls are very simple for the Jacuzzi." She said casually. Pointing them out to Jack. After turning it on, and explaining briefly, she opened what looked like a small closet in the bathroom. Jack raised her eye brows when she realized it led to her walk in closet. She returned with the plush white robe Jack had secretly loved.

"Here, you can use this. The towels are over there. And some of my Jasmine bubble bath rocks are in that dish. Enjoy." With that she disappeared through the door to her walk in closet. 

The bath was just what Jack needed. Sinking in, she felt the bubbling suds attack her cold and aching skin. Her head felt light, but her eyes felt heavy. She let out a contented sigh. After about twenty minutes she decided to get out before she fell asleep. Over all she felt better. But she was still cold and her body still ached.

~~~~~~~Minx

Sinking down into the loveseat against the wall Minx gazed absently at the door to her bathroom. She felt so happy that she could help Jack out. Then a thought popped into her head. _Oh My God! _She never showed up to work. She knew that Riddick and Hocks would be pist at her, but _screw_ them, Jack was in the middle of having a mini-breakdown. It was definitely more important that she help her, then work on some damn machine.

She knew that Jack must be feeling better, but for the life of her she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was still something wrong. _What else could it be? _She wondered. Concentrating to the max of her present abilities. She had to admit, going through it with her, made Minx rethink her life and love as well. And she came up with one very simple and depressing answer. She had nothing. No real life, and her love was gone. Drawing a shaky breath she closed her eyes to stop the threat of tears.

The Jacuzzi shut off, and there was a whoosh of sliding door, in came Jack. Wrapped in her white robe. Quickly and quite frenzied she struggled to regain her control. Fortunately doing it just in time, she looked up and gave Jack a small and warm smile. Jack didn't need to be burdened with her problems, Jack had enough of her own as it was already. Jack returned the smile.

Immediately Minx noticed that Jack was still rather pale. "I think you should get some rest." She said, knowing that food might not be the best thing right now for the girl's sensitive stomach, or sensitive anything. Jack gave a small nod and headed to her own room. Minx followed just to make sure she would be okay. Her movements were still slightly off and shaky.

After she had helped get her into bed she went back to her room and changed into something a little more warm and comfortable, before heading to the kitchen to get some food. The mood in the apartment had changed from intense to tranquil and peaceful. _Like a tomb._ She reflected, waiting at the food processor for her eggs, pancakes, and bacon. She made herself some coffee. A few moments later she sat down at the table and ate in silence.

She ate slowly, knowing that it didn't help to eat in a rush when she was in mood such as this one. It was a combination of relief, stress, and slight case of optimism. Sitting there she began to wonder what she would tell Riddick when he got back wondering where the hell she had been all morning. She was dreading that, but was fully prepared to go toe to toe with him. Even if it meant getting into dangerous waters with him, she'd do it, because she had a damn good reason. She knew he loved Jack. She saw it the first morning she had been in this kitchen.

He changed around her. He was almost human. Smiling slightly she drank the last of her coffee, and put the dirty plates back into the food processor. It was about either late mourning or mid-day. Time seemed to either stop or change when you go threw an event so emotional, the lines blur between eternity and a second. So she had no idea what time it was, all she hoped for was that it wasn't time for Riddick's lunch break. Just then logic kicked in, (and for that she was very thankful), If Riddick was so upset he probably wouldn't come back to the apartment. There was a chance that she might be right. She didn't know quite how to handle him yet.

He was very interestingRichard B. Riddick. He was quiet and had the movements of a panther. He was like the wind. It could surround you, and give you conflicting feelings. His cold presence made her shiver, and wonder what he would do next. 

But yet whenever he was around Jack, he was so warm and loving. Yet all those feelings could be gone in the blink of an eye. Like the wind that ruffles your hair and caresses your face, but then dies to never return. It goes somewhere (that wind), she always wondered where, like she did when she saw his emotions disappear so quickly. 

Walking into the hall she decided to check on Jack. Holding onto the open button while opening the door she effectively slowed it down. She was relived to find a comfortably sleeping Jack. Except she was still somewhat pale, gently feeling her forehead, she was happy to find that her body temperature was back up. Taking one last look at her she turned and exited the room, leaving without a trace that she was ever there.

Returning to the kitchen to get a glass of water, a medium sized, bright tan package caught her eye. It was propped up on the coffee table. She walked into the livingroom, not taking here eyes off the package. As she neared the coffee table, the scrolled handwritten letters became clearer and clearer. When she was practically right on top of it, she looked down and saw her name dead center in the middle of the envelope. 

Cautiously she picked up the package holding it at it's edges using only her finger tips. Her heart skipped a beat. If you took the slant out of the letters, they'd be practically identical to Deo's handwriting. _Boy, I just see him in everything. Even when he's not there . _She thought as she ran her hands over the lettering.

Turning the package around to face the back, she slowly peeled the flap up and away from where it was joined to the paper. The package was light, and she couldn't yet see exactly what it was, she knew it was soft. Looking inside her eyes widened, until they felt like they were going to fall right out of their sockets._ It can be! It couldn't, could it?_ She took out the maroon and soft orange and pink sunset colored silken scarf. A flicker of white caught her eye, as a piece of cream cardstock fluttered down towards the glass top of the coffee table. She watched it, almost reluctant to pick it up, for the fear of what it had to say, made her hands seem to lock up.

She turned her attention back to the scarf. She ran her fingers threw it, familiar with it's softness, and it's texture. It was as soft as a baby's skin, so perfect, as if you some how made a cloud real and rolled it out flat into a piece of fabric. It was hers, from her seventeenth birthday. Deo had gotten it from his great, great grandmother, to give to a special lady. And he had given it to her. It had been a touching moment in her young life. One of happiness and sheer triumph over everything, when she realized that she was finally loved by another. Getting up the courage, her shaky right hand picked up the folded cardstock.

It was heavy and brittle under her fingers as she flipped it open and began to read. Although what she read made her whole world grind stop. 

__

My dear Em, 

I miss you so much. Even though we are not together, and you don't feel that you know mewe do know eachother. I've had this scarf in my possession ever since you dropped it in the drain that one Halloween night. I knew you'd love to have it back, even thought I was reluctant to give it up. I realized that the scarf mean nothing if I couldn't see you wear it. And soon I will. We will be together, and I'll take you away from where ever you are. Remember that I love you. Don't ask how, or why. Or even who I am. I feel like we've known eachother for the longest time. 

All My Love.

She read it again three more times. _Who was he? _She wondered. How did he know about Deo's pet name for her Em. When he first took her into his home she was so scared that she wouldn't tell him anything even her name. He said that she looked like an Emma, so he started calling her Em. Then there was the thing about her loosing the scarf on Halloween night. She was so confused, she didn't know what to think. She jumped abruptly when the sound of heavy metal hitting the floor with a crash made her snap out of her hypnotic state.

Racing to Jack's room she burst in, and saw that Jack had just turned over and knocked off the clock. Putting it back on the nightstand she looked at Jack. She noticed she was still pale, and that her breathing was coming short, and shallow. She felt Jack's head and she was cold. Swearing she turned sharply and punched the numbers of the key pad quickly. Dialing the only person she could think of, Hocks. Hocks picked up on the first ring. "Yeah Minx?" He asked worriedly. "Hock get up here now. Something's wrong with Jack, she needs to get down to the medical ward right away." She said quickly. "Hang on." He hung up. 

Minx turned her attention back to the girl, her breath was even but she still had all the other symptoms. A moment later Hocks came in. Wordlessly, he scooped up Jack and they were out the door. "Take her, I'll be right there I just gotta leave a not for Riddick." She called after him. "Right." He yelled over his shoulder. Minx scribbled a note. And raced after him. But found that he was already gone. She waited for the next elevator, and took it to the medical ward. 

Once there, she saw Jack on the bed. An older male doctor looking over her. Doing the usual. She bit her bottom lip fiercely, as tears began to fill her eyes. She felt Hocks put a tight arm around her. Funny how the rolls reversed from only just a half an hour ago, now she was the one that needed consoling. "God, please let her be okay." She said in a hoarse and strained voice. "She'll be alright. I won't let anything happen to her." Hocks reassured her. Maybe it was desperation, maybe it was sheer optimism, and maybe it was hope. But whatever it was, it made her believe him entirely.

"Go find Riddick he needs to know." Hocks said softly. Not even thinking about that he might sill be mad, Minx turned and headed for the double doors. But before she could, the doctor came up to Hocks. She turned on her heel and ran up to the two men. "What's wrong with her Doc?" She asked passionately, her eyes filled with tears. The doctor looked at her with a surprised expression. One that she ignored. The look on her face must've been something like, horrified crossed with sadness, which was exactly what she was feeling. She couldn't loose Jack, she couldn't take another person in her life dying. She held her breath and waited. 

"Jack will the fine, she's just had an allergic reaction to the man made oxygen the ship puts out. I gave her a shot of Foleem. It's an antibiotic that'll make her comfortable and restore her health. Heath meaning: her breathing, temperature, and skin pigment." 

"Then I can go ahead and treat her for the allergy. Very simple. Just two shots and in two to three days she'll be fine. But it was a blessing that you got her down here, she could have gone into a coma if you hadn't." He said mostly talking to Hocks, but also paying attention to Minx. She let out her breath, as tears of happiness started to fall.

She turned to Hocks. "Go find Riddick now. She'll probably want him here." He said softly. "I donno." Minx hesitated. "They got into a fight last night, really bad, Jack was crushed." She said softly. And for some weird reason Hocks seemed to understand. "Bring him in here anyway." He said calmly. Minx nodded, finally heading out the sliding doors. The hall outside was quiet, no one traveled it. 

Walking up to the elevator she pushed the button and immediately the doors opened, and standing in front of her was a deadly looking Riddick. Before she could even blink, she was pinned against the elevator wall and the doors were closed. _Damn he's quick!_ She thought in horror. _And strong_. She felt the death grip on her wrists, and it was beginning to hurt. Not to mention her head, the back of it had been slammed against the wall while he had pinned her.

She slowly opened her eyes, and a shiver of horror ran through her. That endless goggled stare, and that blank cold expression. If looks could kill, she would have been dead before she even opened her eyes to see that face. She felt her limbs begin to shake, and her body begin to seat. There was fear welling up inside of her even before he spoke. Which didn't mean that he needed to, he was striking the fear of god into her already. It was choking her throat and racing through her veins.

"What happened?" He asked quietly. His tone calm, detached, and colder then anything she could ever imagine. Struggling to even remember if she had a voice she could only just blink at him. "Idonno." She said faintly. Out of no where a silver glint of blade came to rest right beneath her jaw. "Oh, I think you do." He whispered. Before she could answer, the doors opened, and larger hands grasped Riddick, followed by a Hock's voice. "Riddick!" He said harshly. Minx slid back down to the floor, her heart beating in her ears. She was hopping for her own sake that this day didn't hold anymore surprises.

~~~~~~~Jack

Jack awoke to a gray ceiling, and Minx's soft face. "Hey." She said weakly. Jack could only give a faint smile. She had tubes running into her arms. Her vision was blurry, and her head felt light. Not to mention her mouth was dry, and her skin felt like it was vibrating, and moving on it's own. She felt outside of her own body, like her spirit was just floating in space.

The air was warmer now, she felt it dance at the tip of her nose. Her mind and heart were flying, as she realized that this almost apparent stranger had just saved her life. Jack took Minx's hand and gave it a light squeeze, it was all she could do to thank her. Minx seemed to understand.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and intended to open them, but was taken back into the calming and picturesque universe that was her dreams. Some time, she felt a familiar hand hold hers. She knew it was Riddick's. She saw his face then the hospital room behind him came into focus.

She saw his lips moving, and his silver shined eyes glinting. The soft rainbow of her medical equipment reflecting there. His skin seemed to glow. "I'm sorry Jack please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you so much. You gotta understand.." But she cut him off, now hearing her own voice, as if wasn't coming from her.

"I do understand Riddick. Knowing you love me at all is enough. Listen to meI'm getting soft." She said. He gave her a rare smile. "Your not " His hand moved to stroke her cheek and in that moment, it was like she had just woken up, and it felt so real. " The only one." He finished his sentence, what followed was a sweet and forever endearing silence. She was so happy, that if she wasn't completely rid of all her energy she would have cried. She had two people that cared for her. Riddick and Minx.

This was just an amazing day. When she opened her eyes again, she was in her own bed, surrounded by the comforting darkness, that had once been a nightmare. Sighing lightly she let her eyes roll closed, as she snuggled into her fluffy sheets, and pillows. She couldn't help but feel that never again would her life be the same. 


	21. Chapter 16 Born Identity

The night air clung tightly around his lungs as he walked through the dark streets. It was winter on Pluto ll, five degrees below zero, and rapidly dropping. Silver pools of frozen rain lined the dark path, as fog-gray shadows seemed to loom around everything that surrounded him. He clenched his wool trench coat closer to his body, as his left foot made contact with the frozen concrete once again.

A head of him was the city that used to be his home. He used to be the Zeus of that cloud. The heart of that body of corruption. And he wouldn't want it any other way. He was tired of living a lie, and wanted nothing more than to live the truth again. He wanted his life back. This plan wasn't suppose to backfire this way, and it had backfired in the worst possible way. In the process of saving his own hide, he had lost the one good thing in his life, Minx.

This was a night like no other. It was one of those times when everything was still, and sleeping. As if to be frozen in time. Ever since the mercs moved into the east side of the planet everything seemed to freeze, then eventually die. It was like no one knew who's life would be reduced to rubble, like his had so suddenly been.

The elements were becoming rapidly unbearable, but his numb sole took no notice. He was surviving, but just barely. He couldn't say he was a happy man, and that he was finally free. Because that would be a lie. Even who he was, was now a lie. In his lamb skin wallet was his _'i.d' _. The name read, Darin McGraw. But he wasn't that man. 

Walking a half mile into the city limits the tall gray buildings came into view. This was the city where it all happened. The complicated events of his life. Where it had begun, and where it had all gone wrong. The dim yellowish lights cast an eerie glow among the shadows. As he walked closer he began to take in more and more of its familiar details. 

The steal water towers, the gray concrete warehouses, the dark red brick buildings, the tall street lamps. All mixed with the smoke from the burning bonfires of the poorly built shacks that surrounded the outskirts. Then he thought of the people. They were just like him, all surviving a life gone wrong. Hope and sorrow mixed with sweat and history. Shaken by the mercs, who had put a tight glass wall around all of them.

All of these things were sleeping, quiet under the royal purple night sky, that was dotted with sapphire colored stars. He had a plan to get Minx back once and for all. He had found out last night that she was headed to the uncharted planet of Nebula 7, and that's where he was going to go. In order to get there before she did however, he needed a small and fast ship, one that was almost untraceable and invincible. His father was just the man to give him something along those lines. 

An hour later he entered the city. He was surprised to find that all the lights were brighter. It was probably the mercs doing. He thought. Slipping into a vacant storage room he removed his coat, scarf, hat, and gloves.

Suddenly the only light bulb in the room illuminated. Casting a shadow over the man he came to see, his father. "Father." He said softly. He hadn't seen him since he was a mere teenager. His father studied him for a long moment. His eyes puncturing him, searching, and openly judging. When he seemed to find what he was looking for he took a step forward until he was about only a foot away from his son.

"Deo son, I never thought I'd see you again." He said slowly, his tone tired, and hollow. His eyes widened. "Dad you got it wrong, I'm Darin." He explained. His father gave a short chuckle, and moved towards an old wooden desk in the corner of the room. "Son, you know the ultimate two problems with you? You never did completely think things through, _and _you always underestimated me." He paused to pick up a tan colored file folder.

He eyed it carefully, then opened it. His wrinkled fingers gliding over the smooth paper. Inside was a print out. He examined it for a moment. "Darin, was your Identical twin, but as your forgot, _Deo,_ he broke his left leg badly in a hover-motor accident the night of your senior prom. It never quite healed. You on the other hand never had any accidents. When the autopsy reports came back, I knew immediately you were still alive." Carelessly he threw the file folder back to it's place on the table top, causing a miniature cloud of dust to rise from it.

__

How could've he known so easily? Deo thought. He must've looked dumbfounded, because he saw his father chuckle yet again. "Not too bad for an old man." He was looking at Deo with narrowed eyes. "You can come and work for me. I'll take you back in the family. But only because you are family. If any other man had killed my boys, that bastard would've been dead the moment he took another breath." He paused to take a step closer to his now, **only** son, putting a rough and cold hand on his shoulder.

Deo met his eyes, almost wary. His father never touched him before. His family was not a hugging type, not even the smiling type, so this was new. "Son, I need to tell you. I know how much you love Minx. I've seen how you look at that picture of her, noticed how you keep it with you. In my own way I care about you and am giving you a second chance because you have my blood and you're my heir. But" He paused to look down. Deo couldn't believe this, his father was turning into a washed out old pappy. "Minx might not give you that chance."

At this Deo snapped, gabbing his father's lapels, "You have no idea what love is! The love that Em and I have can withstand anything. She will always love me. She'll take me back, I KNOW it." He yelled, two inches from his father's face. But this did not shake his father. "Son, to her you no longer exist. You died. You used your brother, to fake your own death. But she doesn't know that." He said harshly, his voice rising. Deo shoved the old man backwards so hard that he fell to the floor. "It doesn't matter. The point is that I am alive!" 

He threw open the back door and got into the ship. Booting up the starting rocket boosters, he felt them jolt, then the real rockets came on, making the ship lurch forward lightly. Holding the break, he checked the on board computers, he surveyed the fuel gauge, power, stabilizers, and lastly the ammunition. Finally everything was set, and he headed for his destination. Nebula 7.


	22. Chapter 17 Riddick

The apartment was once again warm, and feeling right. Everything was almost so normal that Riddick felt like something was almost wrong. It had been only three hours since they'd brought Jack home. Minx kept quiet and avoided him. Although he wasn't furious at her anymore. 

He couldn't put her finger on it but something had changed between them, he could feel it. In that moment when he saw that Jack was okay he caught her eyes, and held them. Their gaze was intense, and it surprised him. 

They'd been working together for about a week now, and she had proven herself over and over. They had talked a little about their childhood's, and their teenage years, and found that they had a lot in common. She had been through a lot of shit in her time, and survived it really well, for that he respected her.

She was pretty, and he couldn't help but notice. There were a couple of times when things got interesting for both of them. One that topped all, was when they had to work on the wiring under the control panels. The space was tight, and there was little to no air that circulated under there. But the sparks from the welding tools, and the amount of concentration that it required kept him preoccupied. 

He was alone in the livingroom, lazily sprawled out length wise on the couch, his head resting on the arm of the couch. He had spent the evening and good part of the night keeping an eye on Jack, making sure she was comfortable. Minx was with Jack now. His mind drifted back to last night, he could only guess it was last night. The events of only a few hours ago had happened so fast he had lost track of time. He had to admit he never saw that one coming, when he had told Jack that he loved her. Call it ignorance, or denial, either way he never really thought that she would feel that way about him. He was going to miss her once she went to live with Imam, she was the one thing that wasn't screwed up, or wrong, she was justhis true friendJack.

The door to Jack's room slid open and Minx came through it, closing it behind her. She avoided him as she went into the kitchen. A moment later he found himself off of the couch, and walking into the kitchen behind her. She turned around and jumped slightly. There was only one way out of the kitchen, and it stood behind him. She waited. There was an awkward and unnerving silence that hung in the air, which was lined with tension.

Minx's body was still, her feet together, and in one hand a glass of water and in the other the bottle of pink pills that were for Jack. It felt like an eternity but in reality he knew it had only been a matter of seconds. He spoke first, "How is she?" He noticed how she jumped. When she spoke her voice was soft and quiet.

"She's tired but fine." He nodded. The picture of him holding his knife to her throat made him inwardly wince, he knew what he had to do.. apologize, something he hadn't done since he was a kid. 

In slam you apologize by not beating the crap outta the other inmate, even then that wasn't considered sincere. But to really say sorry, and to a woman he hardly knew, but had saved Jack's life, this was the one time that he was at loss for words. She broke the silence. "Riddick." She paused, to move up to him. Her voice still quiet and soft, it sent an automatic chill through him. "I have to get these pills to Jack." He nodded and reluctantly moved aside.

In a flash she was gone, and headed down the hall. Everything was quiet once again. He should've just apologized, but he didn't. Returning to the livingroom he absently looked around, a splotch of color protruded from under his boot.

He looked down to find a silk scarf. Lifting up his foot he picked up the scarf, and with it came a cream colored card. He knew he shouldn't read it but he did anyway. 

__

My dear Em, 

I miss you so much. Even though we are not together, and you don't feel that you know mewe do know eachother. I've had this scarf in my possession ever since you dropped it in the drain that one Halloween night. I knew you'd love to have it back, even thought I was reluctant to give it up. I realized that the scarf mean nothing if I couldn't see you wear it. And soon I will. We will be together, and I'll take you away from where ever you are. Remember that I love you. Don't ask how, or why. Or even who I am. I feel like we've known eachother for the longest time. 

All My Love.

He finished reading and put it back on the coffee table. For some odd reason he felt this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Almost likebut he cut himself off, knowing that it couldn't be true. He couldn't be jealous. Shaking it off he gazed at the scarf. It was soaked in her scent and her perfume. It looked like it was made for her. He turned it around in his fingers, the silk soft and thin. Folding it up he placed it on the coffee table. 

"Riddick," Minx's voice drifted up to him. Turning his head he saw her standing in the archway, her hand against the column. He stood, not taking his eyes off of her. Her eyes shifted from him to her scarf, then back to him. "Uh" She hesitated for a moment, seeming a little bit uncomfortable. "Jack needs her meds in another six hours. I'll give them to her so you can sleep." She said quietly. Moving to the coffee table to retrieve her scarf.

Riddick watched her movements. Then saw her eyes, they were moist with slight tears. She moved away, her shoulders and hips rotating gently, as she glided around the corner.

Sighing heavily, he shook his head. Since when had he ever been so tong tied? 


	23. Chapter 18 Jack

__

The cold and black night sky was like a blanket over my head as I walked down the alleyway with my new found friend. She was cool and calm. Alert at every waking moment. Her eyes scanning our immediate surroundings, I was amazed to see her ears perk up as my foot hit a half frozen puddle of rain.

Keeping close to her I watched around me. Everything was silent. My usually alleyway was a mile behind me, and so was my health. I was cold, hungry, tired, dirty and uncertain. Flex of blue stars shone against the sky, as I cast my attention momentarily to the buildings above. As I exhaled my breath seemed to freeze before my eyes.

We headed up to this brick wall. At first I was puzzled, but then I noticed she had pulled a laser light out of her pocket. It looked like one of those old retro ball point pens. Pushing a small button she ran the red laser light around the circumference of the wall. Her hand was steady and deliberate. I watched with amazement was the bricks faded and a plain hallway was bared to our view.

This was something new to me. Look, I come from a life on Ships and space ports, what is a kid like me gonna know about urban life? I didn't move until I felt her tug on my coat's sleeve. My hood slipped off suddenly. "Keep that hood up." She hissed. Alright so another thing I know nothing about is that on Pluto ll women with dark hair are rare, especially younger ones. I was clueless why anyone would care. Okay, where I come from have hair this dark is normal.

I'm facing the fact that I may not ever learn the ropes on this planet. You've have to promise to help me out. I guess I can count on Raven for that, but it helps to have more then one person to confide in. Her apartment is nice. Furniture looks rather expensive, home technology looks pretty up to date. Things are comfortable here for me. Do you think we could get used to this?

I don't think I should. Raven says I can stay here as long as I want, on the condition that I clean up after myself, and I stay out of her bedroom on Friday nights. Why? I can only begin to guess, and right now I'm not sure if I even want too. Great, now I'm blushing.

Alright I'll pull my mind outta the gutter in a minute. It's just that Raven has so many cool people around her, especially the guys. When I asked her about them she just shook her head and told me to not feed the wild animals. For some reason she said that I would make a nice meal for all of them. I have yet to even allow myself to venture what the hell she means by that.

Raven herself seems to be cool. Better then my cousin. She was just too much. There were guys in and out of her bedroom every night. Thank god I had the bed room at the other end of her apartment. But even then that didn't seem to help matters. I could still hear almost everything. Many a night I snored amongst the lint under my pillow from having it clamped around my head to try and drown out my cousin's exploits.

My eyes are growing heavy, and sleep calls. Good night.

Dear Diary, 

****

02-14

What a day! I went to work with Raven. There were computer monitors every where, and hardware I would kill to get my hands on. Turns out I'm working there as a wire welder. I'm the smallest and can fit under the system compartments.

But do you wanna know the best part I met some one today, a guy named Deo McGraw. He seems to be the leader of everyone I've met so far. He showed me around what he calls "the establishment." It was so strange, when I saw him my stomach muscles clenched, and did a flip or something. I hope this doesn't mean what I think it means.

"The establishment." As Deo called it was impressive. There were tons of computers, like I said before. These computers had fields in them, what looked like electronic forms, just waiting to be filled out. Others had pictures of people. I'm guessing who are clients of his. Then there were switch boards, and stuff like that. He showed me the tools I would be using and where I would use them. I couldn't help but notice the man's expensive cologne, or how the lights glinted off his gelled jet black hair.

The weather was stormy as usual, and he offered to give me a ride home. But I declined and then he insisted. So I took it. He had one of those hover Hummers that my old guy pals used to literally drool over. He asked me about a lot of things. Then if I had a boyfriend. Which was funny because I couldn't help but feel like he cared about the answer.

Then the funniest thing happened.

"Jack get some sleep. You've been up almost all night." Riddick said, his body filling the door way. "Just three more pages I swear." She said without looking up. She heard him growl slightly, "You said that an hour ago, you just came back from the hospital, got to sleep NOW!" Reluctantly she marked her place and set the book down.

"Good girl. G' night kid." He said with a tired flatness to his voice. With a slight yawn Jack met his eyes. "Night Riddick." With that he was gone, once again she picked up the smooth leather covered volume. It was small, with scratches, and faded white pages. It was about six inches tall, and about half the thickness. The edge of the page's were lined with gold, making it look elegant.

__

So, this is Minx's diary. Jack mused. _One of them anyway._ She reminded herself with a slight pout. She'd been bugging Minx to tell her about her past for a few hours now. But Minx wouldn't tell. So after a moment she came in with a small novel like looking book. She handed it to her, saying only one thing, "Happy now?" and then she left.

Jack was so confused. _What did she mean?_ But she immediately knew when she read the first to words **Dear Diary**. Her eyes almost fell out of her head, and she couldn't help but feel like she wanted to devour ever ounce of information. This was like the scoop of a lifetime.

She was half way through it, and it was a damn good read. It made her head spin, and her heart fly. No wonder why Minx understood her so well. She had gone through it. Only she was on her own even before Jack was in diapers.

She wrote about her life on the ships that her father had served on and sometimes even stood as captain to. About her days in the engine rooms, learning about the mechanics of a ship. Then the one that took the prize was when she wrote about her first kiss at the age of ten.

She had been on the Pegasus 502 and her father's right hand man had a twelve year old son, he was the only other kid on board, so they spent loads of time together. Jack remembered the passage perfectly, for she read it four million times:

__

Six months later I found myself on the platform of a new ship. Where Ingamar and I would part company. He was going back to Military school on a planet called New Washington. Training to be a marine. I was going to Mardid, which was in a totally different star pattern. So, I would never see him again. He was a fun guy.

Like one time he was mad at the navigator, John Arebuckle for calling him a sissy, so he filled a nylon fuel gasket full of water like a water balloon, and put it on his chair right before John sat down. Naturally afterward good ol' John had to go back to his cabin and get a new pair of pants.

Standing there on that platform I knew I was going to miss him. He had become my first real friend. I said goodbye to him, and before I knew it he kissed me. But then ran away. I never saw him again

That was when she was reminiscing about the good points in her childhood. Jack thought it was interesting to read this and know it was all true. Slowly she drifted off to sleep thinking about her own childhood memories.


	24. Chapter 19 Jack Minx and Riddick

I'm back!!!!! 

Sorry bout the long wait every one, but here I am, back, and bringing you a nice long chapter, with a surprise ending.

However, don't fret.this story is long from over. And by the time I'm doneyou'll all have whip lash,_ muwahhhahaha!_

Alright, the psychotic, mentally ill, moment is over. 

Just kick back, relax and clear sometime. This is gonna be good!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well?" Minx asked, as Jack set the diary down on her dresser. The room was filled with a warm golden glow. She was finally finished reading Minx's diary. It was amazing the things she went through. Jack looked up at Minx with a renewed respect. "Amazing." She said softly, giving Minx a smile. "It's my life." Minx said softly. Jack couldn't believe all that happened to her. The underground life, running from the mercs, sticking up to Deo when he told her no, hacking into computers in the day, and teaching herself to kick box at night. 

"Now you see why I knew so much about you Jack." She explained, sitting down on Jack's bed, facing her. Jack could only nod. They had so much in common. She was feeling better, the last of her pills she would take today. She couldn't believe she was allergic to the air, how stupid was that?

She had three weeks left before she made her trip to Luna 7, to Imam, away from Riddick and Minx. Just at the thought Minx's chrono chirped, she was going back to work today, after taking care of her for two weeks. "Better go." Minx said lightly, picking up her diary. "See ya Minx." Minx nodded, and gave her a warm smile, then hesitated. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" She asked worriedly. Jack shook her head, rolling her eyes playfully. "Minx, I'll be fine, Riddick said he would check up on me at his lunch hour."

Minx ran her hand through her hair. Jack came to notice that it was her signature move when she was struggling with something. "What?" She asked carefully. "Nothing." She said blankly. "Not nothing. Come onyou can tell me." Jack pushed, knowing that in the end she'd find out anyway.

"How are things with you and Riddick?" Minx asked suddenly. She knew that things were still awkward between Jack and Riddick. Jack gave a small sigh. "AlrightI guess. I mean" She looked down at her hands, her fingernails were painted a metallic red, with black tips. Minx did it for her one afternoon, when Jack had gotten a little too restless. She had to admit, she did like them a lot.

"I still have feelings for him, likeI still.." She was finding it hard to say how she felt. "I know." Minx said quietly, now fiddling with her own nails, they matched Jack's, only they were painted black with red tips. "I know romance won't happen between Riddick and me" It still hurt to say it, because she knew that was the truth. Jack paused, the thought had been on her mind ever since she finished Minx's diary.

"And" It was her turn to push. She and Minx had gotten really close, so Jack was used to her caring. She just didn't know if she wanted to say her feelings out loud, she didn't want to jinx it. She let out a steady breath. "After reading your diary I feel like in timehe'll eventually want me too. You know, likeDeo did you." Jack saw Minx visibly flinch. Her arms came up to her chest and crossed, her long hair falling down to frame her face. She didn't say anything.

Minx's silence was puzzling Jack, there was still something on her mind. Minx leaned up against her door, looking far away and confused. She had this struggling expression on her face, like she was battling with herself. "I'll see you later Jack. Take care." She said suddenly, her voice quiet and hollow.

Jack studied her friend for a long moment. Hoping if she concentrated on her form long enough, she would find out what was going on in that head of hers. But it didn't come, and Jack found herself feeling slightly frustrated and tired. "I will. You too." Minx smiled lightly at Jack, then out into the hall. Jack looked after her, hearing the faint thump of her boots until her door closed.

~~~

Minx walked down the hall. She was annoyed with herself. She got this funny feeling that something was gonna change, or something already had. She gave Jack her diary, because she wanted Jack to understand why she understood her. But now Jack found renewed hope that she and Riddick could still be together, like her and Deo.

She grabbed her tool belt, and headed out the door. Riddick was already down in the engine room, she knew he was waiting. There were a lot of things that they had to work on. Mostly wiring. Among the cool metal and the blue lighting in the elevator she stood alone with her thoughts. 

Finally the doors opened, and she walked towards the engine room door. As she neared it, a tightness formed in her stomach. Tight, and warm. She got this anxious, jumpy feeling. She knew that feeling all too well, but that couldn't be.

Before the thought could linger she locked it away, and forced herself to calm down, taking a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to think about anything else except that blissful feeling in her stomach. She took another breath in, then exhaled. 

"Leave some air for the rest of us." A stream of warm breath floated across her skin. Her eyes snapped open at sound of that hauntingly smooth voice. She came face to face with midnight black fabric, and familiar caramel skin. Her eyes trailed upward slowly, to see a full lipped smirk, and an endless goggled gaze. 

She jumped slightly, as he exhaled, another rill of warm breath washing over her face. Until then, Minx didn't realize how close they were standing. Her mind screamed at her legs to move backwards, but no such luck, Riddick's element of surprise had won her limbs over.

Luckily he made the decision for her. "We have a lot of work to do." He whispered in that same tone. His warmth went with him, as he stepped away from her, placing his hand on the palm reader. She followed him into the engine room, the tension in her stomach almost gone, for that she was thankful.

He walked over to the left end of the control panel, handing her a Phillip's screw driver. "Need to get the screws loose on the last wiring panel, then you can start to cut some wires. Only the green and blue ones. They need to be cross welded together later." She nodded, dropping to her knees and laying on her stomach.

She could feel his eyes on her movements, and it made her nervous. She started to unscrew the second to the last screw, but it wouldn't budge. She cranked on it, but it still wouldn't move, she cursed. "What's up?" He asked casually. His face came into view. "This screw is too tight." She said, giving the tool another crank. "Here allow me." He said in a slightly cocky voice. She slipped out from under the control panel.

Putting the handle of the tool in his open palm. He closed his hand before she got a chance to remover hers. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, drawing slow invisible lines back and fourth. 

The room was gravely quiet, except for the whirring and clicking of the machines, mixed with the beating of her heart in her ears. What was going on? Why wasn't she moving her hand?

After eternity passed, he let go of her hand, and wordlessly crawled underneath, taking her place. After a few seconds she heard a harsh curse, then another. Riddick fluidly slipped out from under the small space, almost hitting his head in the process. "Won't move." He said disgustedly. She gave him a smirk of her own. "My hero."

~~~

Riddick watched as Minx walked over to the tool chest. Her hips swaying nicely, her dark hair simmering slightly, pleading to be touched. He didn't know what came over him when he decided to hold her hand, or now, when he found himself studying her so closely.

He'd been attracted to her since the first time she walked through the door of their apartment, but after she saved Jackhe started to feel differently. The light clunk of her boots snapped him out of his thoughts. 

He looked up to see her holding a dark red tool, it looked like a mini riffle with a handle, and a long barrel. It was about eight inches long, with a metal gauge of some sort, and attached to the side was small plastic tube. She hit a discrete black button on the handle, and the tube filled with a thin blue liquid. Small, white bubbles bobbed up and down throughout the sinister-looking fluid. "There's only one way to get it out. The acid in this gun will burn right through the metal of the screw, leaving only the hole."

He had to admit she was smart. She slid under the control panels, he couldn't help but say something. "Be careful." He taunted, her tension floated around him in the air, thick and exhilarating. But she seemed to ignore it as she concentrated on the task at hand. 

She hit the small black button twice. There was a whirring, and clicking, as a small lever popped. There was a few seconds of silence, before the machine started up again, this time vibrating slightly. Although through out all of this nothing really happened. He kept his eyes on the machine, waiting.

She hit the button again, and a moment later a three inch needle pushed out of the barrel. It was slender, and sharp. Emitting a small red laser that was used as a guide. With her free hand she gripped her wrist, steadying the machine. She slowly squeezed the trigger.

A faint sound filled the air. Like the hissing of a snake. In the dim light he saw the outline of a stream of white smoke. As fast as it had started, the hissing stopped. She held down the black button. The needle retracted as the blue acid disappeared. It gave a short beep, as she slid out of the confined space.

He lifted up his goggles and took a look at the screw, only to find it had disappeared. He felt the heat of the acid, as the smell of charred metal filled his nose. Reaching up, he effortlessly slipped his goggles back onto his eyes. Riddick poked his head out from under the panels, just in time to see Minx bend over the tool chest. She seemed to be looking for something.

"So, how is it?" She asked. Her voice came out muffled, but he still heard it. _Very_ _Nice._ "All clear." He said absently, getting out from under the panels. He stretched slowly, feeling his tense muscles slightly relax. He heard a crank, then a screeching of hinges, as the door to the panel came free.

He left her alone and let her do the work. He headed into the opposite part of the engine room, the mechanics, which he preferred. He slipped under some of the piping he was working on yesterday, gazing at the hard caulking he had let cure over night. He began removing the excess.

Then the thought of Jack came into his mind, the thought that he'd been avoiding for so long. She was going to be leaving him soon. He knew it was for the best, but he still wanted her with him. She was the comic relief, the thing that he could always count on. But the one thing that he couldn't let happen, was letting his life ruin hers'. He hoped, by now, she understood that.

Then there was the issue of Jack's feelings about him. He knew he'd already thought about this, and it was old news, but he still worried about that whole thing. Now he was wondering if Minx knew about it, her and Minx had grown close, so she had to know by now.

What about his feelings for Minx? He let out a frustrated breath. So many thoughts were clouding him. He just didn't know where this all was going to lead. 

He kept working, forcing himself to only think about work. He listened to the rhythm that was unique to only the machines that surrounded him. The cranking, whirring, and occasional clunk of the generators. The mini clicks of the fuel injectors. The gushes of compressed air from the pressure dynamo. Everything joined together, and pretty soon he was almost in a state of meditation. 

~~~~

Minx felt around inside the dark cubby, looking for a light she knew should there. _Wire, more wire, metal, wire, plastic_she moved her hand to the left, then to the right. _More_ _Wire, more plastic,more metal._ Her fingers touched a raised piece of plastic. Circling the outline she moved upward again, searching for the button. She found it. Then she ran her finger from side to side. Immediately she felt a couple of raised dots. It was a form of Braille, but was in a special sequence created for the engineering specialists. Four raised dots meant it was a light of some sort. She held her breath, and pushed it.

"That's more like it." She said softly, as the small space filled with warm light. Her eyes began sweeping around the jungle of wires. She noticed there were a lot of red and green wires. Not so many blue and yellow. She moved her right hand out to the side of her thigh, and grabbed a small cutting tool. She knew that the wires got larger as you got deeper. She shifted the tool in her hand, finding it hard to do so. Her palms were sweaty, and the rubber grip of the handle was sticking to her hand.

When she finally got the tool to cooperate, she looked around her. "Alrightonly green and blue." She pinched a green wire between her fingers and gave a slight snip, skipping over neighboring red and yellow wires she found the nearest blue and snipped that. Holding both of the snipped wires in place she reached next to her left thigh and took a temporary bracket. She clipped the two wires together, then moved to the next green wire.

A an hour later she was almost done with the tedious wiring. Maneuvering her free hand through the other wires, she felt a tear of sweat roll across her fore head. "Whewww!!!!" She breathed. She clipped the last of the green and blue wires together, and wiped her forehead with a black handkerchief.

Slipping out of the small space she was careful not to disturb the wires, the open panel, or the tools she had yet to use. She took a short breath in, feeling her shirt glued to her back. Her arms and upper body laced with sweat. She headed for the lockers in the far corner of the engine room, where she kept her water, and re-hydrating soda.

She made her way into the back, where it was less hot. The damp air from the cooling fans danced along her sweaty skin. The first sight of the lockers came into view as she rounded the corner. Next she saw Riddick, his back to her. He was rummaging through his locker for something. Hoping she would go unnoticed she made her way towards her own locker that was in the corner.

The lockers were placed in the shape of a box that was open on one side, a long wooden bench separated the two sides. Most of the lockers were bolted, or so jammed shut no one could get into them. "You don't have to sneak around you know." Riddick said casually. She turned, to see him looking at her blankly, with that menacing goggled stare fully in place. For once she didn't have anything smart to say. 

"I don't." She finally said, not knowing how that came out. She wasn't exactly afraid, but not completely at ease either. He took a couple steps towards her, still staying on his side of the lockers. Suddenly he stopped, leaving five feet of space between them. "You try. But don't succeed." He corrected her. She couldn't read his voice, and she knew he'd made sure of that. She looked away from him turning her attention back to opening her locker.

She wondered why he cared what she did. They shared a couple of stories, but it wasn't like she knew that much about him, even though she wanted to know more. She stopped at what she realized she had just thought. She wanted to know more about him. Where did that come from?

"Jack told you about what happened the other night didn't she?" Riddick asked. Her eyes snapped around to his face. Again, she was at loss for words. So she decided to nod. When she didn't say anything else, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, and looked at her for a long moment. She couldn't tell if he was waiting for her answer.

She turned her back again, reaching into the slight indentation in her locker door, and giving it a slight tug. The door opened swiftly, she was about to reach for her hydrating soda when his voice made her movements come to a grinding halt. "I see." His voice was cold and detached, but yet, all too personal and judgmental. She pivoted her body around to fully face his receding form. She felt like she had to say something, but nothing was coming to her. Her mind just froze, no thought, just bleakness.

"You see what?" She asked as casually as she could. He turned slightly, not speaking. The silence was killing her, and he knew that. She finally got tired of the game and turned her back. "So, I guess it's just gonna be like that." She said her blood boiling. One minute he wanted to know and the next he was giving her the cold shoulder. 

"What?" He questioned slowly. Minx gave a slight chuckle, "You heard me." She challenged, knowing she shouldn't. From the stories she'd heard, and from what she'd seen up to now, she knew very clearly that this man wasn't one to mess around with. But she wasn't about to let him win this little mind game. Against her better judgement she turned around expecting him to be somewhere in the background. But he wasn't, he was directly behind her. She cut off a small gasp in her throat.

He swiveled around to stand by her side. Her eyes closed briefly as that tight, and warm feeling once again washed over her, settling heavily in her stomach.

"What?" He taunted again, his breath hit her ear. 

Minx let her eyes open slowly, trying to ignore the ripple of goose bumps that crawled up her spine. She didn't dare to look at him. "She did tell me." She found herself saying quietly. His small chuckle vibrated through her being. She turned her head away from him, only to feel Riddick grasp her chin, and it back towards him.

"That wasn't so hardwas it?" Riddick raised her chin up so all that filled her vision was his face. He knew there was more then just surprise and fear there. He brought his face closer to hers, intentionally invading her comfort zone. For the first time he saw how clear her brown eyes were.

~~~~

She took a breath to say something, but that something turned into a light gasp, when she felt a feather light touch to her lips, then a pulsing eagerness, when it deepened. Her body stiffened, the cool metal of the lockers pressed into her back. Her lungs felt like they were going to collapse, as she took another breath, making him some closer. His lips drawing hers in slowly.

Just then his chrono chirped. She pulled her head back, taking her lips away. She closed her eyes, his warm hand on her neck, his thumb gliding over her bottom lip. Hesitantly she took his hand off her neck. Minx mustered her courage, and made herself open her eyes, willing him to go away. But he was still standing before her, as close as ever. 

She forced herself to look him in the face, but when she did, her breath caught. The goggles were gonewhat met her was a soft sterling gaze. She fell into the soft pools, noticing their longing, and hurt. Apart of her wanted to make it all just go away, but she stopped herself.

"Jack's waiting for you." Minx was breathless. Riddick's eyes closed slowly, then opened. His brow furrowed. After a long moment, he nodded softy. She felt him leave. "This can't happen." Minx whispered. But inside she knew all too well, it already had. 


	25. Chapter 20 Sudden Changes Riddick

He slipped out of the engine room, his heart beating widely, his whole body pulsing to it's fast paced rhythm. His mind was in a tail wind. As he stepped into the empty elevator, he let his head fall back against the cool metal of the wall. Closing his eyes, and breathing slowly through his nose, calming himself.

He could still feel the softness of her lips on his. Her light scent and the feeling of need that lingered around him like a thick cloud of fog. As the elevator climbed, he tried to recall exactly what had happened. He remembered walking up to her, angry that she was so passive about the situation and before he knew it he was kissing her.

He knew how Jack felt and now he had to go and have feelings for Minx, Jack's close friend. His life was like a damn soap opera, and he was starting to get annoyed. He let his mind clear as the doors glided open to the long dimly-lit hall. His eyes adjusted quickly, as he made his way to the apartment. After passing through the first door he waited for the other to grant him inside.

He let his eyes rest on the lines and indentations of the door, the creases that seemed to run parallel but always seemed to meet. The soft beige coloring and the impersonated fake-wooden grain. A moment later the door opened and he stepped inside, the space in the hall seemed slightly warm, as the thud of his boots bounced off the walls. He put down his tool case in the livingroom, and went into the kitchen, where he found a steaming plate of spaghetti, and a glass of orange soda. One of Jack's religious text books was lying open, about half way through. But his eyes took no notice on anything else, they were glued on the book mark.

Placed carefully in the center of the pages was Minx's silken scarf. Without thinking he ran his fingertips softly over the material, the light contact making his finger tips seem to burn, as he closed his eyes, thinking about her. Just then he heard Jack walking down the hall, her surprise filing the kitchen. "Hey Riddick." She said cheerfully, walking up closer to his side. Quickly he tore his fingers off of the scarf, turning just in time to see Jack throw a casual arm around his waist, giving it a slight squeeze.

He gave her a small hug and moved off towards the food processor. "So, how are you feeling today Jack?" He asked lightly while scrolling leisurely through the food processors appetizing menu. He heard her sigh contently. "Great." She said slowly. Riddick looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Jack snickered, "What?" She asked. "Donno, you just normally don't say 'great'." Riddick reflected.

Jack gave him a suspicious smile. "Well then what about you?" She said crossing her legs carefully underneath the table. "What about me?" He asked calmly after a moment, leaning against the counter, with his arms folded across his chest. Jack shook her head. "Donno, you just normally don't smile." Jack reflected, mimicking him, as she turned her partial attention on her text book, Riddick noticed how her fingers lightly ran over the silk scarf.

She looked at the page intently, running her fingers over the words as she read them. Riddick mentally shook himself, he didn't know he was smiling. The food processor gave a delicate chime and out came his food. A bowl of Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Putting it carefully on the table he pulled out his chair sitting down next to her. He felt her tension fill the room, she was trying to avoid him for some reason.

After a good ten long minutes she finally looked up at him. "How was work?" She asked all too casually. Riddick's mind filled with the most current event, yet he took his legendary control and answered normally, not letting the tornado in his mind affect his outer expression. "Alright. Except the pluming is really coming along slowly." He said, "So, enjoying the light reading?" He asked motioning to her book.

She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Oh, yeah Riddick. It's just _so_ exiting I just can't handle it." She said in a dead monotone voice, making him smirk. She was getting to be such a smart ass these days, yet she was so fun this way.

"Honestly, though this stuff will actually kill a person from extreme boredom! I swear!" She said, exasperated, throwing her hands up into the air. 

"No need to convince me kid." He said taking a bite out of his sandwich. She nodded, putting her hand on her brow, her elbow resting on the table. "Well it's not too bad. The only part that got tough was when they got into language translation. But Minx helped me with that last night." She commented, lazily flipping the page over, and studying it closely.

Riddick noticed her eyes dart toward him and then back to the page. She was acting funny and he didn't know why, but he wanted to find out. Just then the mail port lit up and gave a small beep. Riddick stood before Jack could even begin to close her book. He made his way over to the port, he knew she was not far behind.

Opening the glass door once again after it had scanned for any harmful entities, he pulled out the package, surprised to see that it was from Imam. It was about a foot wide and a foot tall. The package was soft and bulky, like fabric of some sort. It had Jack's name on it, in his perfect block printing.

Testing it's weight he, handed it to Jack. Ripping it from his hands she shook it gingerly, making a "humph" type of sound. This amused him, she looked like a kid on Christmas. Then again she was still some what of a kid. Before he could open up his mouth, she ripped open the top flap, throwing the disheveled wrappings to the floor.

A moment later the mystery was revealed. In her open palms she held a smooth silken robe set. It was the color of milk chocolate, brown and deep. Running her hand over the material, she looked at it with a bemused gaze, staring relentlessly at it, as if it held all the answers of life. Quickly she unfolded it and held it up to the light. It was long and definitely not fitting. It had a large hood that swooped and curved, making it cover her entire head and then some.

She gave a faint smile and set it down on the back of the sofa. Finally meeting his eyes she bent and picked up the shredded pieces of parcel paper. "BoyI sure have a hot wardrobe." She said flatly. Riddick clapped her on the shoulder.

"You'll look great kid." He said encouragingly, genuinely meaning it. She seemed to sense it and gave him a warm smile. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, before she down cast them. Turning on her heel she headed back to the kitchen, Riddick followed soon after.

Just then the ship tilted completely to one side, sending him backwards across the livingroom. He heard a crashing of dishes, and a small scream. Thrusting himself off the floor he made his way over to the kitchen. Finding Jack on the floor. Getting up she shook her head, "Shit! That hurt!" Jack cursed.

As quickly as it came the ship leveled out and all returned to normal. Crossing the small distance between them Riddick cupped her shoulders in his hands, looking down into her eyes, searching her face for any signs of pain. "You okay Jack." He said softly, feeling her stiffen as she gazed up at him.

"Yeah, fine." She said distractedly. Just then the com beeped on the wall near the door. Giving her a confident look, he glanced at the door over his shoulder. A switch snapped inside Riddick's body sending it into survival mode, his senses heightened as he turned back to Jack. 

"I'll get it. Don't leave this room until I say it's safe. Got it?" He asked shortly. Jack nodded, her eyes wide. Releasing her shoulders, he headed towards the doorway, checking the video monitor, sighing with relief he was met with the kind face of a very intense Hocks. He sensed trouble.

Opening the doors quickly, he let him in. Hock's walked with a stiff and quick manner. His normal hulking frame seeming ever so much stronger. Riddick looked at his friend expectantly wanting to know what the hell just happened, fortunately he didn't have to wait long.

"There's been a virus that spread through the computers, and an uncharted patch of space rocks and black holes. We think a Merck snuck on board. I've already gotten a skiff secured for you in my personal holding doc, go into my office and through the first full steel panel on the far wall, it's a secret hologram. Luckily for you your near Luna 7, you can drop Jack off safely there. The skiff's name is Cross Igneous." That was all he said, with that Riddick turned and poked his head into the kitchen. Jack stood were he'd left her, looking a little more at ease.

"Go get you pack. Where leaving." Riddick said, not waiting for her reply. He returned just in time to see Hocks at the door, Hocks nodded and disappeared past the steel and electronics. Going to his own room he grabbed all his gear, slipping his shiv into his boot and his laser gun between his hip and his black jeans. His metal door shutting behind him, he was pleased to find Jack waiting by the door, looking somewhat teary eyed. Riddick gave her a semi-tender look, motioning for her to follow him. She nodded and turned, walking down the hall by his side, all the metal flying past them as they headed for the elevator doors.

Entering the elevator, she bit her lip, as a tear ran down her cheek. She turned her head slowly to look at him, he felt her eyes beating into his profile. His hand clenched his black duffel bag in one fist, in anticipation of the only question he knew she was going to ask.

"What about Minx Riddick?" She said softly, sounding like she already knew the answer. Inwardly cringing he snuck a look at her through the blackness of his goggles. Noticing her tense manner and her slight paleness. 

"Minx can take care of herself." Riddick said flatly. He felt a sudden wave of anger and hurt fill the small space, as Jack crossed her arms, her eyes casting a hateful stare. Her bag stayed in her hand, as it rose up with her hand to finally rest on her hip. A look of determination made her features seem to sharpen in the dim light.

"You mean after she's been through hell, saved my life, kept all our secrets, and toiled away for hours in that engine room putting up with god only knows what?! Your just going to LEAVE HER HERE!" She barked with rage, her index finger jutting downward to point at the floor.

Riddick looked at her for a moment. Her arms crossed over her tightly clasped fists. Her legs stiff and parted in a fighting stance. And lastly, her usually clear eyes now narrowed to the point of mere needle-thin slits, clouded over with menace, rebellion, and anger.

"Jack, I'm in debt to her for saving you, you know that. But this is survival kid." He said as casually as he could. But it didn't work, her eyes grew impossibly smaller, as her knees locked into place.

"RIDDICK! You know she's in danger here, just like you and I are. Don't you have any feelings for her AT ALL!" She shouted, her voice dropping an octave or two, as she shook her head in mere furry. Riddick shook his head, Jack had no clue about their kiss in the engine room, and he did care for Minx. But things were out of his hands, they had to leave, they were in danger. Riddick knew Minx would hopefully understand. 

Jack wouldn't look at him as they stepped out onto the corridor that lead to Hocks's office. Riddick moved quickly keeping a close eye on his surroundings, and on Jack. Everyone was moving through the halls at an accelerated pace, either not noticing them or too busy to care. Everything in the ship seemed ominous and cold, including the air around them.

There were a lot of announcements being made over the intercom, but he paid them no attention. Weaving through a particularly thick throng of workers he stepped over a bunch of tools that had toppled over in the isle. Men were talking to one another in commanding voices, pointing and shaking their heads. Something had broken and it was being repaired. Orange welding sparks flew to their right, while the sound of a cranking wrench momentarily filled his left ear.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jack leap over a tool chest, as she dodged a oncoming cart of yet more tools. Grabbing her hand he brought her to his side and continued on, finally making it to Hocks's office. Walking in, the door closed behind them, sealing them off from the outside pandemonium, and with it went all the noise. Inside, the office was as quiet as a graveyard at midnight. Making his way over to the far wall he released Jack's hand and walked toward the first steel panel and put his foot through the door.

The toe of his black boot disappeared, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at Jack, he gave her a small nod, feeling her eyes beating into his back. He could tell that she was still semi-angry with him, Riddick was also, he regretted leaving Minx behind, they had something together, but now was not the time for Romance. As they stepped down the long isle-way he noticed the hall way had changed from sheer metal, to all wooden paneling. Deep in brown mahogany he saw that undecipherable pictures lined the walls. Normal earth-like lamps hung over head, casting everything in a yellow glow. The yellow mixed with the brown to make everything seem very different, almost like they weren't on a ship at all. 

Making it to the end of the hall, he found a simple door stood in front of him. There was a clear crystal glass door knob, an eye hole and nothing else, not even a palm reader. Furrowing his brow, he curled his fingers around the knob and gave it a small turn. It gave quickly and freely, the door opening into an impressive loading dock, that was as big, if not bigger than the entire ship itself. Twenty or so ships lined the dock, all hovering in place, yet at the same time remaining totally motionless. They were all the same, shaped like rounded footballs, the top half of the skiffs were colored black, and the bottom was in gray. The back of the skiffs were curved downward into a point, where a small rounded hole acted as an exhaust for the jet pack and rocket afterburners.

On the opposite end of the ship he saw the cock pit had an open glass area that looked as if it was heavily tinted for secrecy. His eyes darted from ship to ship, nestled in the middle was the Cross Igneous. Riddick moved toward the ship, ten feet from the door, a shot rang through the air nearly missing him as he threw his body onto the ground, keeping his pack close to his body, he eyed Jack to make sure she was okay, as his hand traveled down to his waist, to retrieve his laser gun.

Jack was down on her stomach as well, her wide doe eyes darting around the port. Another stream of red laser light flew through the air, his eyes catching the faint out line of another male form, crouched by a large crate some fifty feet from him. Holding his hand with his wrist he aimed an fired. The green laser from his own gun, piercing through the thick still air like a steel headed bullet, taking no time in ripping through the targeted wood crate, it's defenseless material bursting into a ball of flames, seconds later revealing his opponent. It was no doubt a Merck.

Before Riddick could blink he pulled the trigger again. This time hitting the Merck square in the chest, he fell to the floor with a blood curling scream, his hands flying to his heart. Looking around for a moment, all was still once again as he got to his feet and helped Jack up, but this time the shot was from a bullet, just barely grazing his right leg, making him limp with pain. Jack looked at him worriedly, her eyes fearful and sad. He gave her a nod. "Get inside the ship. I'll be in once I get rid of the bastards. Whatever happens don't come out here." Riddick said. Seeing her small nod, he turned and dropped down next to the ship, where a five foot high concrete step was raised for the ships to be able to dock and the people to get on without having to do any climbing.

It ran the length of the whole dock, providing an excellent place to hide. Another shot rang through the air and then another, one a normal bullet and the other a laser gun, coming from opposite directions. Firing his gun, his jaw clenched as his thigh began to burn angrily. Riddick knew getting off the ship was gonna be a bitch.

Meanwhile on another part of the ship, Minx was having her own problems.

To Be Continued

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Shadow here,

Alright this story is **far** from over, and technically it's just getting started. Will Riddick and Jack make it out alive? Who exactly is it that is firing at them? What happens to Minx? Will Riddick and Jack ever see Minx again? Will Minx **ever** find out that Deo is alive? Well you'll find out in the next chapters to come. I'll post more as soon as I can. Thank you to everyone that has been reviewing this story, you guys are what make this story worth posting. I'm trying to finish this before Chronicles of Riddick comes out in January, so I'll be posting frequently.

Love to all,

__

Anne 


	26. EscapeMinx and Hocks

**Escape **

Minx felt the square hardness of metal slam into her shoulder blades, as if it were a knife piercing through her skin. The world around her spun as she barely missed another deafening punch, a small smile came to her lips in realizing that her attacker was also blinded by the darkness.

The air seemed to have a cold chill that made her lungs tighten. She slowly inched her way down the hall, the light-filled end of it seeming to sluggishly grow larger and larger in her eyes view. Somewhere close, she felt another person looming in front of her, but she could only guess exactly where. Keeping her movements' small and slight she kept her senses open, breathing only in calculated moments.

No sound graced her ears, except the mythological clicking and whirring of the mechanical beasts around her. A vibration flitted its way through the flooring to wind snuggly around the bones in her ankles, she waited and soon another came, then another and another. Soon she realized that the unnerving sound was heavy footsteps only a couple feet from where she was slowly creeping.

Another moment passed with more vibrations and more stillness. Although her mind was in turmoil, she waited and waited her shallow breath and racing heart anticipating what to do next. Just as the last footstep fell, she raised her arm, and with care sent it flying into the air, connecting with the person's jaw. She heard a strangled groan and took full advantage, gritting her teeth and kicking out her leg, making contact with the center of a very solid human body part, what part exactly she had no clue.

Crashing of metal filled her ears as she raced down the hallway, leaving the darkness behind. But her quickness was all too easily matched; the wind was knocked instantly out of her lungs as she tumbled to the floor, another person's weight soon making its presence known on top of her back.

Kicking her legs, she twisted her body up ward, using the floor to try and escape their trap. But her foot soon was clasped in a tight death grip, his hand wrapped around her foot and kept squeezing until she couldn't move.

Twisting around again she propelled her body up and kicked with her free foot, sending her heel into the center of his face. His grip loosened enough for her to pull free and stand up with some comical difficulty, feeling like a three hundred pound drunk.

Turning she cast her eyes on the man who was trying to beat the crap out of her. His big hulking frame was cast in a bright glow by the lighting, his hair was unnaturally bleached blond, and his arms and upper body was about as big as a small car. She knew the last observation was exaggerated by her mind, but she was trying to face fighting him.

It was in that moment that he looked up at her, his cold, almost transparent, icy blue eyes send a shiver of fear down her spine as her fist coiled around the knife in her pocket, the sweat laced rubber of the handle stuck to her palm like it was truly apart of her.

She watched a sarcastic smirk slither across his lips; the cruelty in his expression grew until it formed a dark ring around his blue eyes. He gave her a quick once over and smiled openly.

"You're a feisty lil one." He said slowly, his voice empty and quiet, as he wiped the blood off of his nose with the back of his hand, the red liquid smearing over his skin. He chuckled this time, raising himself off of the floor with one hand, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Fortunately I've been told not to kill you." He stated lightly, squaring his shoulders to stand fully before her, she observed his 6' 4" tallness to her 5'5" height and it wasn't comforting. The moment seemed to drag on forever before he spoke again; the reason for his slowness was baffling her.

"You seem to be confused Minx." He said gently, seeming all too mean under the harsh light. Slowly she found herself shaking her head; she wasn't confused, just cautious to his silent plan. "My name is Zinis, and I am here because my boss sent me to get you for him. Seeing as making the trip himself would be too dangerous." He paused to take a step closer, which she let him do, knowing it was wise to let him play his little game. "If you come quietly I'll spare your friends, but if you don't, they'll all be killed."

He stood in front of her, his hand out stretched like a gentlemen wanting to dance at a ball, a sick and practiced smirk plastered on his pale and thin lips. Her emotions were raging knowing what she was going to have to do.

Nodding shortly she met his eyes. "I accept." At this it was his turn to look confused.

"Accepting without kicking my ass first, you're getting soft." He taunted, slipping his hand around her wrist to painfully twist her arm around to the small of her back, the click of the hand cuffs cutting into her skin. Slowly they began to walk out of the engine room, his breath floating over her neck, making her cringe with disgust.

The elevator door closed behind them with a tight and soft whoosh of air. She felt him grin against her ear, "You smell good lil Minxy." He whispered, making her want to rip his head off. She clenched her jaw and tried to relax, fighting the urge to try and pick the lock on the handcuffs that bound her motionless.

She could feel the sweat on her back seep though her clothing as the elevator ventured higher and higher to their destination. He didn't speak and for that she was grateful. She tried to focus on the metal of the doors before her, her mind trying to formulate a somewhat intelligent plan.

Just then the picture of a smiling Jack flickered into her memory, and she began to wonder about them, they were probably gone by now, and she probably would never see Jack again. Although it did hurt her to think that, she understood why. Risking their lives to wait for her was idiotic and foolish.

Then she thought of ages ago, back to Riddick, inwardly her heart sunk as she remembered the kiss. She was surprised by it, and even more amazed that she would be so dumb as to let it happen. She knew that it was something so wrong. She partially blamed Deo for all of this; if he hadn't left her like that she would have never even been in this mess. Then again she knew blaming him wouldn't make things any easier.

The doors opened to a sight she was sickened by, destruction and clam panic something she remembered from once before, the night that the mercs came for her life. Minx snapped out of it when the goon behind her shoved her forward into the heart of the mess.

They both stepped over the debris and other people, this time faster as if they were almost running. Once they neared the middle of the hallway her heart stopped when she saw Hocks. He was injured and struggling with a man surprisingly the same size as him.

Rearing back Hocks punched him, but it had no effect and Hocks was weakening, there was a serious bash on his head and she could see his eyes beginning to grow smaller. It was in this moment that Zinis stopped, making her come to a grinding halt as well. The squealing of her boots making slight marks on the floor, but all of her noise went unnoticed.

As they continued to struggle she began to feel sick, the air had gone from cold to warm in about five minutes and at this rate things would begin to get even uglier. Hocks slowly began to beat the man down, but before he could take advantage the man seemed to strengthen backing Hocks against the wall.

Her mind screamed to take action, but with her bound and restricted by some freak flunky what could she possibly do. She started to casually look around for some help, but in finding none she gazed down and closed her eyes, hot with anger the tears slipped down her cheeks, just as she felt Zinis chuckle.

"Awe Minxy, don't cry." He whispered into her ear, holding her close so that she felt his gun press into the crease of her back "Let's just watch him die."

The tears kept coming as she kicked his shin and elbowed his side, leaning her head back quickly to come up to his chin. As he recoiled she bent to grip the laser gun at her feet and coiled her finger around the trigger, gritting her teeth at the cuttingly sharp metal at her wrists, she ignored it and tried to aim the gun at the handcuff. Slowly she watched the laser melt the material away, oozing silver liquid feel to the floor in measured droplets the left over solid metal steaming from the heat.

But like an undying mosquito, Zinis threw her up against the wall, her perfect aim now being ruined and taking out its burning fury against her forearm, the red beam glided over her arm casting an eerie bright red and black mark of singeing skin after it while burning pain flew through her muscles. After a long moment the pain relented and she breathed a sigh of relief her vision slightly blurred from keeping her eyes screwed shut.

Cramping her still cuffed wrist across her body she heard a faint beeping in her ear, signaling that the laser was running out of juice. Inwardly cursing, she dropped it reluctantly to the ground, struggling to move beneath his weight that he was using to pin her.

Moving her hand across her hip she snuck the knife around to his side and jabbed quickly into his black shirt. With a silent thud he fell to the floor, and she felt the air slowly come back to her.

* * *

**Hocks**

His arms started to grow weaker and frailer by the instant as his resentment seemed to grow. His ship was under attack and that meant the worst; his family was in extreme danger.

The dark-haired man pushed and it seemed to take all of his strength to push back. The lights seemed to get brighter and so did his surroundings, but to him his world was dark. His grip on the man's arms tightened as a roar filled his ears. The vice-like grip on his arms loosened as he saw the light of life fade from the man's eyes, his massive fists relaxing with other pain as he feel forwards, Hocks caught his shoulders and laid him down slowly, looking at the wound that had pierced through the barrel of his chest.

Amazed and dazed he looked at the lifeless body on the floor, next to the man's side two familiar black boots walked up. He raised his eyes to meet Minx's brown teary ones. Her small smiles making him feel calm and worried all the same.

"Hi." She said lightly, her eyes still clouded over with doubt.

"I didn't see you come in." Hocks said lamely, suddenly noticing the sleek black gun in her hand, coming to the quick comprehension of what she had done, his heart stopped with guilt and sickness.

"Well, you seemed slightly preoccupied, thought I could help." She said seeming to be as dazed as he was.

"Thanks." Hocks whispered, knowing that the gun would have to be taken far away from her as possible. "Listen we've got to get you outta here, follow me."

They made their way farther down the hall, leaving their mess behind and knowing they had more to come. As they darted around people and the destruction of fire and other bullets had already made, Hocks neared a secret corridor and motioned for her to follow.

Once they stopped in the lonely hall he could see the pain on her face, she suddenly looked so tired and grown-up as he reached into the shadows and pulled out her packed rucksack and threw it at her.

"From here take that door behind you and then make a right down the second hall on your left, everything is a holograph in there but enough is real. That should get you to a ship you can take out of here. If you ever need anything, you'll always have a home with me." He spoke quickly not knowing who was listening, he paused to give her a hug then hand her his second best rifle.

She only glanced at it for a moment before meeting his eyes once again. "Thanks Hocks. I'll keep that in mind." She said softly in a graveness that surprised him, a small tear fell down her cheek but her expression remained made out of stone.

Hocks could only manage to nod before he cast a glance over her shoulder and pulled out his own form of protection, "Just make me proud."

* * *

**Minx**

She watched him leave, hoping like hell that nothing would happen to him. Taking a deep breath she went through the door and entered a very wide and menacing hall. The old lanterns hung on rusty looking hooks, their own tarnished metal seeming so frail and weak.

The lanterns held a red light, seeming like a thin gas that was just floating in mid air, waiting to be released. In the middle of the redness there was a black ball of ink that grew and shrunk by every passing second, pulsing like a slow heart beat.

The air around her seemed to be skeletal, still, and bitter, making her bones shake under her skin. The hall was dark and cast in the red light that the lamps only minimally gave off. The walls were decorated with metal picture frames that she quickly noticed held no pictures, only her contorted reflection.

The moments seemed to drag on forever as she continued down the hall, gratefully making a left as Hocks had instructed to, and found herself in the beginning of another hallway, although this one was full of lamps, fishing memorabilia, and lots of pale wood. It smelled of cinnamon air freshener and was about as out of place in this ship as anything could possibly be.

She kept moving and noticed the hallway came to an end abruptly before her, the metal door stood before her, no knob or palm reader, and just smooth metal all around it. She cleared her mind and silently fumed about Hocks not telling her about any gimmicks about getting to the spaceport.

Minx rested her hand on the door as if it would bite, and her eyes widened as her hand disappeared into the metal. Turning her head to the side she stepped through the door and was met by a bunch of crates.

Immediately she heard shots of guns and a long drawn out shrill cry as silence came quickly. Dropping to her knees on the hard cement floor she peeked around the corner to see three mercs quickly approaching her with their riffles drawn. Although they didn't see her just yet she felt her heart rate start to speed up.

Gripping Hock's riffle she drew it out and pressed her back against the crate, trying to keep out of view. Ducking her head down close to its barrel she drew her arm out to steady it against her wrist, to aim it at the one merc in the middle. Holding her breath she squeezed it against her shoulder and let it rip, surprised when it fired two bullets at once.

The two remaining mercs were too smart and took cover close by, seeing a similar looking button she pushed it, and a second later a small view finder popped up from the barrel to reveal an x-ray vision to her eyes. Minx squinted and began to glance about through the green picture.

The sound of other bullets being fried came to her as another merc fell to the ground nearest to her; she realized that she was not alone as she found the corner she'd been seeking and fired quickly, silently thanking who ever it was that just saved her ass.

Splinters of sharp wood flew through the air, pieces of foam and rubber rained down on the other crates near her, including her own. She felt some hit her head and fall around her boots, reaching down she cleared them away to keep them from menacing her later, but quickly spread them discreetly across the floor knowing how they liked to pop loudly when stepped on.

She knew there had to be more and now was faced with a decision, should she try to get closer or stay, she knew she had to get out of here, and getting a ship was the only way. Keeping her body low she moved across to the crate nearest to her, then to another and another until fifteen feet separated her and a ship.

Just then the crate exploded, making her open season. Rolling on the floor she felt a bullet clip her rucksack, making her feel like she was in some cheap western. She moved to crouch behind a metal cabinet, knowing she was only safe for a moment. She made her way closer and closer to the grey shuttle ship that loomed before her but the mercs didn't seem to be through with her yet.

She felt an arm come around her neck and start to squeeze as they moved her backwards. She began to struggle but the person was way too strong. Just then the weight lifted and a groan of pain filled her ears. She turned to see Riddick only a few yards away, his goggled stare fixed on her for a quick second before she got down on the ground, seeing of beams from the left of him shoot over his head.

She moved around to the underside of the ship, just enough to see where three mercs were hiding. She had little idea how to get all of them at once without letting them know where she was, thinking for a moment she bit her lip and tried to take a breath.

Another laser shot rung through the air, this time from another direction completely, the laser clipped her arm, but she was too concentrated on thinking than to notice the dull ache of the sting.

She decided to move around to the back of the ship to fire from there, trying to stay out of sight. She shot her laser across the room from there, quickly crawling back to the front of the ship. She watched as the laser burned the tip of the crate where the mercs were poised. They soon took the bait and attacked the back of the ship, just missing it but giving her enough time to shoot at them.

She got two out of three, the last merc moved and she missed. Just then she heard her laser gun wheeze and shut down, it was out of juice. She switched it over to the regular riffle, and found out quickly that she only had five shots left.

When all was mostly silent she slipped out from under the ship and got behind the ledge of the dock where the ships usually hovered. Stepping around the puddles of engine fluid and grease she tried to keep low and quiet.

Minx could smell the gunshots in the air but the quietness was suspicious. Making her way towards the gray ship she felt eyes watching her. Not looking up she continued to approach it, keeping Hock's riffle near to her.

Suddenly she heard Jack scream, her body sprung into action, running up the ramp to the open door. Suddenly she saw Jack struggling with a woman twice her size, Minx's fists clenched in anger. The struggle was too close to use the riffle without hurting Jack, so she tried to think of something else.

"Hey bitch!" Minx yelled, watching the woman's movements still as she threw Jack back wards and turned around, as she turned Minx kicked out her foot and came into the left side of her head, the women shook her head in pain but recovered all too easily

The woman was bigger than her, but she was so angry she could feel her own skin burn with rage. The woman smirked, but then she recognized Minx. "I'll make a deal with you"

"No deal." Minx said hauling back and punching her in the jaw, then heeling her foot and driving her elbow through the bitches face. The woman stumbled towards the door but gripped the door frame and stopped herself, giving Minx a wide smirk, "Come on; pick on someone your own size for once!"

Minx suddenly thought of the girl behind her, "Jack get back there. Behind something." She did as she was told, but the woman reached out and gripped Minx's neck, she was faintly aware of Jack's scream, but Minx tried to contain her anger and kicked at the merc's shins.

She winced in pain but tightened her grip; Minx closed her fist and drove her knuckle into the woman's side. The merc gasped for air and let her go, but it wasn't that simple. She had to get her out of the ship. Just at she recovered, Minx slapped her and took her badge, knowing that a merc's badge was one of their points of pride.

She held the sick and clammy metal in her fist and dropped it to the ground knowing it would make the woman snap. "Bitch." She croaked, her beady eyes smoldering with anger.

Minx just smirked and dropped the badge to the ground. Smashing it with her heel she rotated her foot to ground it into the rubber floor. The merc lunged for her but fell right into Minx's waiting blade as Minx pushed her back and out the door.

She grabbed her riffle and found the merc's own on the floor, throwing one to Jack she gave her a slight nod for her to follow then went to the window, aiming it at the four mercs that still remained she was slightly aware that Jack got one herself when she heard her quiet yelp of victory. Riddick got some, but the others were still a hazard. They were open to her as she shot the crate first to fog their vision, and then fired, both had no defense and quickly Riddick made his way to the ship. She could see the glint of blood and burns all over him but couldn't tell which wounds were his own.

* * *

**Author's note:** Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed this, I know I've been slow in updating for a long time, but life is rough for me right now, and my computer broke, so, it is hard for me to wrtie all the time. I have finals all this month for school then it is off for the summer, so I shall finish this lil epic around then. I have some of the next chapter written so the next update might be sooner than I think. Thanks for reading and please leave a review.

Love to all from your girl of the shadows,

**_Anne_**


	27. Ch21 Minx Riddick and Jack

**What happens between goodbyes?**

Sweat, blood, and fatigue filled the small space as Minx saw the doors close behind Riddick. Jack raced foreword to look at him but he didn't seem to see her. He was still, stiff, and cold.

Minx looked at Jack and Jack met her gaze. There seemed to be a moment of understanding as Jack slipped into the passenger seat behind them. Minx sat to his right and began checking for damage.

A jolting rip tilted the ship and Minx held on to whatever she could. She looked down at the screen and noticed that they weren't alone. Cursing Riddick shifted the ship around and some how dodged another attack.

The lights flickered but recovered as a heavy invisible weight pressed down onto her chest. It squeezed at her chest until she felt tears well up in her eyes. Riddick must've almost floored the engines for it to have this effect on her.

Her eyes squeezed shut tightly as the ship shot out of the ports, leaving the debris and dead Mercs behind. The stars and bleakness of space met them as she let a breath go. In front of her another screen showed a red dot coming up fast behind them. Inwardly she cringed, knowing that it could only be one thing.

"Shit, Riddick we got company!" Minx found herself saying.

"Get in the back and ghost their asses, I'm busy." He growled, making her fists clench in anger as she got up from the chair. She knew he was right but then again she wasn't used to taking brute orders.

Into the dark recesses pf the ship she went, down the hall and to the farthest wall. Crouching she gripped the cut out in the floor and slipped inside. Her feet searched for the first few rungs of the ladder downward as she gripped the cold metal. Her stomach rolled as the ship capsized and flipped over, doing something like a spiraling roll.

"Damn it Riddick!" She swore, knowing he probably just saved their asses.

She held on as the hulking ship finally returned upright, not knowing how far she had to fall between the ladder and the floor. "Lights 20" She said tiredly, they obeyed and what was revealed was a modern gun turret, surrounded by tinted flexi-glass and a view of an eternity of space below and around her.

Swallowing she reminded herself never to look down as she slipped into the chair and saw the ship that was trying to obliterate them. Pushing a familiar green button the view finder slipped down in front of her face and she spied the ship before her; bleak, black, strong, and too large for her guns.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Riddick's voice suddenly filled the small space, making her heart pound in surprise. She slipped on the headset haphazardly but didn't answer.

She lined the gun up to the nose of the ship and fired. The force of it jolted her back into her seat, but the actual hit did little damage. Aiming again she fired and burned a good portion of a wing making the whole ship tip down ward.

But it only wobbled and fired again this time almost hitting them, Riddick dodged it and this time she tried something new. She fired just to the side of them and as they moved out of the way she switched and hit them dead on, letting the laser slice along the underbelly and ignite the fuel tanks below.

Moments of stillness filled her vision until and silent ripple spread out around the Merc ship. The ripple retracted back to the ship and seemed to disappear, the second she blinked the Merc ship burst into flames. A green glow surrounded it in a halo of nuclear sulfur and red fire.

With ever second came another loud boom of exploding gasses from the threat that now floated in shambles, space junk. She stayed in the seat looking around carefully for a while longer, now skeptic of silence or peace. But when the infinity of calm darkness around her stayed she let a long sigh go.

She found herself in the dark hall again, although this time the lightless hallway unnerved her. A few hairs raised on her neck as she continued to venture down the short hall. Something was wrong, but then again she was starting to feel the burns on her arms and the cuts on her shoulders, it wasn't right.

With a shrug she began to step into the dimly lit cockpit, but an arm clamped tightly around her neck. She let out a strangled breath as the arm tightened and the cold metal barrel of a gun was pressed to her side.

A rasping cough erupted from her throat, gaining Jack's attention. Her eyes widened and a scream filled the air.

* * *

**Riddick**

He heard Jack scream and immediately drew his shiv. But what he saw made him conceal the blade once again. There at the mouth of the dark hallway stood a grinning Merc, his sickly pale skin and black as night hair gleaming under the light.

The Merc had his arm wrapped around her neck, squeezing just enough so that redness rose to her face. Somewhere deep inside him a foreign fear stabbed him, although his face showed nothing, he was mad enough to kill.

"Jack take the controls." He said, faintly aware of her obeying and moving quickly around him. He met the man's chilling eyes and saw the familiar heartless fire that raged there.

"So, you're the infamous Richard B. Riddick, never thought I'd catch you with a beauty like this, pity she's going down with you." The Merc said slowly, Riddick studied him and felt his mind take over his instinct.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Riddick ask him patiently, guessing that what the Merc really wanted was him.

The Merc nodded, "Yes, I enjoy my work."

"Yea, I enjoy mine too. Killing is my favorite part." He responded, watching the Merc stiffen slightly as Riddick stepped up to Minx.

"Mine is the money I'm gonna get off your ass." The Merc said, throwing Minx roughly into the wall and aiming two guns at Riddick.

Riddick paid no mind and let his breath leave him in nothing but a shallow thought. He grasped both the man's wrists in his palms and began to twist outward. When one gun dropped to the floor Riddick let his shiv be known across the man's neck.

The slice was just enough to kill but not to brutally murder. The man slumped to the floor with a thin rill of blood leaking down his neck, but noting else. Standing there motionless he let the adrenaline that fogged his mind leave and realities take its place.

* * *

**Jack**

"Don't move kid. I've got something to take care of." She heard Riddick's cold voice from behind her, and without guessing she knew exactly what had happened.

Jack felt nausea consume her, the fear had worn off and nothing was left. She felt the burning need to look over her shoulder, but knew better, if Riddick told her not to, she shouldn't.

She didn't listen to Riddick once when he'd told her not to move. Because of her curiosity she almost saw him kill a man; he was much like the Merc from moments before. Even though she closed her eyes for the worst part she still had nightmares for weeks after that, it had been so horrible.

Silence filled the room as she saw a red light beep and flash on the panel, under the little red light was two simple words, trash cremator. Jack gulped at the thought, whoever the Merc was he was now reduced to ash.

She sensed Riddick coming down the hall and turned in her seat, only to see Minx lying on her side, jumbled unnaturally on the floor. Jack immediately looked from Minx's form to Riddick's face trying to see any emotion but what she found was just blankness, nothing more.

She should've known, but she guessed maybe this once he might show some emotion, but like always he didn't.

Her eyes clouded up as she looked down at Minx's still body, "When the Merc threw her she hit her head." She found herself saying, a wet hot tear slipped down her cheek and she cursed the asshole for doing this to her friend.

Riddick nodded and bent down by Minx's side, he put his fingers just below her neck, seeming to study her closely, but through his goggles Jack couldn't tell. After a long moment he moved her flat on her back and scooped her up into his arms.

"Don't worry kid. She just got knocked out. In a couple of hours she'll be fine." Riddick said gently, his voice uncharacteristically soft. Jack looked at him, then Minx, then back at Riddick's face once again. She studied it for a long moment before nodding and believing him.

"I'll go man the controls." She said distantly. Once she was huddled in the steel chair she looked out at the dark sky and listened to the silence, she just hoped that Minx would really be okay.

* * *

**Riddick**

Minx's midnight hair brushed his arm as he continued down the hall. Her limp body still warm, and although her breathing was shallow, it was still there. For that he was thankful for a moment he thought she was gone.

Shaking his thoughts away he made his mind go blank and soon he neared the end of the hall. His heart rate sped up as he walked into the small bedroom, it's darkness not phasing him as he ordered the lights up to a mere glow.

As he stood next to the bed he stalled for a moment, her weight was almost nothing in his arms, but that wasn't what was stopping him from putting her down. He felt funny, awkward but comfortable at the same time. Something had to be wrong with him.

Bending slightly, he put her in the center of the bed; she lay on her back as if she was asleep and nothing more, but somehow she seemed so far away. He brought his hand down to her neck to check her pulse again just to be sure she was all right.

But instead his fingers caressed her cheek, soon slipping downward across her bottom lip. Riddick studied her face a moment and let a long breath leave him.

He brushed away a stray lock of hair from her cheek, smiling down at her, something that was completely foreign for him to do. The moment was shattered when he saw the black burns on her arms, the cuts on her shoulders, and the bruises on her hands.

He knew that they were minor but his brow furrowed just the same. He ran his fingers over the wounds one by one, having the same sort many a time he knew by feel what to do for each.

It took him a long moment but he got together some stuff that helped them heal and look better. He removed his goggles to get a better look and his eyes drifted up to her calm face. The youth of it was present without the lines of the world, she looked younger, almost Jack's age, but it had a different effect on him.

He remembered the kiss they shared lifetimes ago, the fire he felt, and the emotion that tightened his chest. But he shook his head and tried to stop thinking. Two months was all he knew of her and somehow he grew to need her.

Maybe he was more human then he thought. Riddick never paid much attention to sincere feelings like this. His life was full of pain, tolerance, survival, and circumstance. It never contained anything more than that, until he met Jack.

She started to change things, giving him a light, a friend. But it wasn't the same light that he felt with Minx, he didn't need to protect her or raise her, Hocks had been right once again.

Riddick felt a jolt of pain course through him and was reminded of his own wounds. But he shook them away and finished wrapping her wrist with gauze. The white of the material laced her peach skin as he taped it up and placed her wrist back at her side.

He stood finally and looked down at her for a long second before walking out the door and letting it close behind him.

* * *

**Jack**

She sat in the captain's seat and felt a yawn come over her. "Go to sleep kid, I'll take over from here." She turned to see Riddick standing next to her seat.

She nodded and noticed that his burns and scrapes were looking better then before, "How is she?" Jack found herself asking.

Riddick got settled into the chair and adjusted the controls, "She's fine, don't think she has a concussion." He said almost too casually, but she decided to ignore it.

All she could do was nod, "Alright, I'm gonna go ta sleep." She said lazily, sensing Riddick's attention elsewhere.

"'Night kid." He said quietly, his shaven head tipped up to the stars.

"'Night." She mimicked. She turned and walked down the hall that Riddick had just come from taking the bedroom in the middle of the hall, knowing he liked to have the once closest to the door.

Once inside she turned on the light to a glow, thoughts of Riddick and of a passed out Minx still swarming around in her mind. To herself she had to admit that Riddick was acting strangely.

He didn't show any more emotion than usual, but there was this air about him, something had changed. Although she dared not try and think of what it was, she knew it had something to do with Minx because he changed shortly after she'd been hurt.

Logic told her he was coming down from the taste of human blood, killing someone always made him distant. He was like that for a while after they left T2, he'd killed once when a Merc threatened them at a stop they'd made.

For a couple hours after that he remained the way he was now. Silent, subdued, and almost stone like. Jack's thoughts turned to Minx as she laid her head down in the soft pillow and sleep took her.


	28. Jack's 1st Goodbye

Dear reader,

I know I haven't updated this story in over a year, for those who've read this story and wanted more I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. But this chapter was almost lost when the disk it was on got destroyed, the other day I founda copy of it somewhere else and I thought I'd post it.

My reason for it was because I already have an idea for a sequal, the sequal takes place after the Chonicals of Riddick and fits perfectly.

This is the second to the last chapter in this story, and depending on how many people want to read more I'll finish this story. Again sorry for the long wait, I hope you enjoy...

* * *

**Jacks 1st Goodbye:**

_Waning, fuzzy bleakness, red fire, blue throbbing pain, a blurry nothing._ Bolting up right in her bed her eyes flew open only to be met by darkness. She looked around the room, and for a moment she couldn't remember where she was.

Suddenly her head grew heavy then seemed to lighten as her world spun. Groaning she slowly lay back in bed and put her hand over her eyes. "Oh, holly shit." Minx said quietly, suddenly hearing a chuckle somewhere from in front of her.

"Now I know you are alright." Jack appeared at the side of her bed as she said this and then moved closer to study her.

Minx laughed gently, but her head throbbed in pain. A small hiss left her and she felt Jack's worried gaze. Once the pain stopped Minx reopened her eyes and sat up slowly.

She breathed heavily out and returned her gaze, "What's wrong girl, you got that deer in the headlights look again."

Jack snapped out of it and shook her head, "Hey, I was just worried about you that's all." She shrugged like it was nothing but Minx could tell that there was more to it than that.

"How long have I been out?" She found herself asking slowly; suddenly feeling like her body was made of lead.

"Oh, about twelve hours, that's all." Jack answered cynically, making her laugh, although it hurt her head to do so.

"Well excuse me for getting thrown into a wall." She fired back; Jack smirked at her in return and then toyed with the comforter underneath her. There was a moment of silence before she heard a sniffle, then another and another.

Slowly she sat up and tried to look at Jack's silhouette, "Jack what-"

Jack sighed and leant against her, "I've been worried about you. And today's the last day before I leave."

"Oh shit, really?" Minx asked softly, feeling her throat lock up with emotion. She hadn't expected it to come so soon.

"I don't wanna go to damn Luna 7." Jack groaned quietly.

Minx knew that Luna 7 was no place for a restless teen age girl like her, she knew that Jack wouldn't be happy but more importantly she would be safe. And Riddick was right to put her in a safer environment, even though she knew he would miss her too.

Minx shook her head, "You think you got problems, I feel like a ninety year old woman."

She giggled a little louder with a slight smile, just then Minx heard a familiar voice from the hall, "Jack?"

"In here Riddick." She responded.

Minx's stomach convulsed quickly as her door slipped open once again. Riddick's large frame filled the doorway and unknowingly her fist gripped the blanket.

She let a breath go and tried to calm her heart, knowing with out one doubt why it was fluttering like mad. "She's awake and swearing, I think she'll be fine." Jack said lightly, breaking Minx's trance.

"Great." Riddick said cynically, a slight smirk playing on his full lips. At her lazy description Minx shook her head as if to clear it but it did little to no good.

Riddick stayed at the door way as Jack still sat on her bed. In the next moment Jack turned from Riddick back to Minx and continued watching her, "So how are you feeling, I mean really?"

"Uh Jack…Imam's on the c.o.m for you in my room." Riddick said suddenly.

Minx saw Jack roll her eyes, "Alright, that holy man never leaves me alone." She trudged across the room and almost glared at Riddick but didn't as Minx watched her go.

Jack disappeared around the corner and Riddick moved to let her pass. There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke, it seemed to be hesitant and uncomfortable, Minx hated it.

She couldn't tell where his eyes were resting. He had those menacing goggles on, and with those in place she never knew what was going on in that mind of his. She knew for a fact that the rest of this day was going to be more than awkward.

Riddick nodded and left the doorway. Minx slowly got up off of the bed and felt her body stiffen in pain. Crossing the small room she opened the door into the small bathroom to find a shower stall and a toilet, nothing else but a small sink and one towel hung on the wall.

Opening the door to the shower she turned on the water and stepped inside. She let the water run down her body and wash away the fog of unconsciousness from her senses. She stood there motionless for the longest time, willing the knots in her body to go away.

She hated feeling stiff, it always made her feel vulnerable and weak. Sighing she leant her back against the cold tile and let her head fall back gently. Her hand absently went to her wrist to check the gaping burn that she remembered from the day before, but instead of a wound she was met with a slightly damp strip of gauze.

Looking down she saw the neatness of it and how perfectly it was done. Secure and almost water resistant it was wrapped about five times around her wrist with extreme care and skill.

She then moved her eyes to the burns and cuts on her arms and found they too had been perfectly taken care of, and were now almost cured. She ran a fingertip down her left arm and found that each of them were mended in the right way.

Suddenly her exploration stopped when she realized who must've done it all, "Riddick?"

(Riddick)

He stood alone and motionless at the counter in the small kitchen off of the cockpit. His breaths left him in slow calculated moments as he willed himself to calm down, but it was no use.

The whisper of a gushing shower filled his ears and his body started to warm to the thoughts of Minx that were running through his mind; feelings and images that had ceased from the moment he started to care for Jack.

They weren't friendly, but a lot more than that, less innocent than that. He couldn't hear Jack's voice speaking to Imam, so Jack couldn't bring him back to reality, but soon the distant close of a door did.

The shower had been shut off and now a full silence filled his ears, allowing him to think even more. The night before he hadn't slept at all, didn't think to dream, just closed his eyes and continued to breathe.

He remained in bed till the lull of his chrono-watch's alarm raised him from his bed. He kept the ship dark until Jack awoke and then he resumed flying the ship, getting lost in the stars and programming set course to Imam and the holy land of New Mecca.

He was lost in the stars till he heard Jack's loud laugh from down the hall, it was then that he snapped out of it. When he came into Minx's room he found her not only awake but watching him.

"Jack tells me she's going to Luna 7 today," Riddick's thoughts were shattered as he turned to see a slightly healthier Minx standing in the doorway, "how much longer till we reach this holy world?"

He looked at her for a long moment and saw that she looked stronger than when she was in the bed the night before; he silently thanked god that she was okay. As the desperate thought passed he made sure to keep his face blank. He turned fully to lean against the counter and crossed his arms; "We'll reach it in about four or five hours."

Minx's eyes seemed to carry a slight sadness as she nodded and dropped her gaze, "Alright."

She walked forwards into the kitchen and Riddick sealed himself for whatever was going to happen. When she stopped five feet from him she was close enough that he could see her in more detail.

Her once slightly oily hair was now soft and shimmering, her skin clean of dirt and bright under the minimal light. She was observing him just as he was her, she seemed to run her eyes over his face and keep them there as if trying to read him.

She looked like she wanted to say something but she remained silent. The food processor chimed with his breakfast as she ran her hand through her hair. He left the plate in the food processor and refused to drop his eyes from hers.

He was waiting for her to speak, to say something, and this time he didn't have to wait long, "Thank you for saving my life." She said softly, pausing to intertwine her fingers with each other and raise her eyes back to his face.

He saw her face was genuine, but even with his feelings for her, somehow he couldn't find a way to be sincere back, "I can't let that Merc ghost my ass, he didn't work hard enough." Once he said it he felt like kicking himself.

Her face remained emotionless but her eyes flashed quick disappointment. Minx nodded her head softly and turned to leave, "I understand." Her voice was hollow but quiet as Riddick felt himself grab her hand to stop her.

She froze as he did and remained with her back to him. His chest felt tight as he pulled her back, hesitantly she went but still didn't look at him as he turned her around to face him.

Riddick raised her face to his and felt the corners of his lips tip into a slight smile, "Plus, I couldn't let that bastard hurt you." He said quietly, holding her chin steady he as his thumb lightly ran over her bottom lip.

His hand moved to the side of her face as he pressed his lips to hers none too softly, feeling her return his kiss with the same desire. Her hard breath and soft lips pushed against his own, sparking a want in him he wasn't used to. Before he could kiss her back he felt her draw a sharp breath and pull away. His eyes flew open and the moment was broken, every tender feeling he felt disappeared into the darkness of his mind, and anger quickly took its place.

Riddick disregarded the hurt look on her face or the sparkle in her honey eyes as he brushed past her and went into the cockpit. He took his seat and forced himself to stay there, he'd be damned if he went back in there to ask her why.

(Jack)

"Well my child I hope to see you soon. Everything is ready down here and the Shieldra's can't wait to meet you." Imam said gently, she could do nothing but put on a smile and fight back the threatening tears.

"The Shieldra's are a type of nun right?" Jack asked vaguely, remembering that she read something about them a while back, liking their name but not their purpose.

She watched the Imam on the screen bow his head slightly, "Bless them, they are. Shieldra's are here to be a mother to the children at the convent; making sure that they get everything they need, do what they need to do, stay healthy, be at peace. You might mind it at first but in time you'll see that they're not so bad."

Jack refused the urge to swear or roll her eyes, knowing that in due time she could never swear again, "Well I do my best Imam, but I donno how got that is." She said plainly, "I don't know very much about living your life."

"I understand Child. But you'll be fine if you accept it." He replied patiently, "Well I must go and pray, but I shall see you soon, I wish you vigor."

Then the screen went blank and with a beep Imam was gone. When she was sure the c.o.m was off she sat back in her chair and closed her eyes, "Holy mother of Plato." She breathed loudly, "How am I gonna swallow that shit every day?"

Lifting herself out of the chair she pushed it in and turned, but then stilled. She stood for a long moment in the realization that she was in Riddick's bedroom. She stood motionless while looking down at the big bed before her. With a quick realization and a little imagination her heart started beating faster and faster.

Down casting her eyes she pushed the thoughts away and forced her legs into motion. They carried her into the darkness of her room; suddenly emotion consumed her, flinging herself to the center of her bed she let the tears finally fall.

Some time later she opened her eyes to find them burning and dry, but she couldn't even feel the pain as the hot tears hit her arm and slipped down her skin. Into the mattress her tears went as she lay still except for the random quake of her body every now and then.

She cried for a while longer, by the time her eyes reopened her skin felt clammy and warm. Sighing tiredly she pushed herself up and sat with her legs crossed Indian style with her feet folded tightly over her knees.

With another breath she got off of her bed again and found herself crossing the small room and heading out the door. But once in the hall she stopped. Where was she going in such a hurry anyway?

Her brow furrowed in thought as she looked down the hall one way then turned her head and looked in the opposite direction. She knew she had two completely opposite options, yet she chose the one she knew she needed.

Her feet turned and walked down the hall, her bones tensed a little not knowing what to expect. As she reached her destination she began to chicken out, but she knew she needed to speak her mind, and this was the only way to do it.

Slipping in to the empty chair she cast her eyes to the left of her, they landed on him, the only 'him' that she knew. She crossed her legs then held herself completely still. He seemed not to see her at first but after a long while he stirred and looked to her blankly.

She took a short breath and met his goggled stare, "I know it won't be long now. But, Riddick I'm asking one last time…" Jack paused to summon all her courage then she spoke again, "Let me stay with you a while longer, I won't be any trouble, you don't have to raise me anymore, I can't take care of myself."

Riddick returned his gaze to the infinity of space before them and slowly shook his head, "I can't. I'm sorry Jack, but you know my reasons."

Jack was surprised to hear the raw emotion in his voice; it was sincere and heavy, thick and filling. She never could run from that voice, but now that it held life and feeling, she knew that it would haunt her for the rest of her days of that dust bowl of a planet.

She looked to him with a clouded glaze and nodded, "I understand."

When she said this Jack noticed that Riddick's hands balled up into fists so white that it startled her, "What's wrong?"

But he didn't look at her, his jaw just clenched and unclenched tightly as he reached across and snapped in his restraint, "Strap in kid." His voice was back to being cold and she missed the emotion already.

An invisible force hit the ship head on and with a jolt a vibrant yellow hue surrounded them. Her eyes screwed shut as she hoped like hell that she hadn't just been blinded for life. Now her own hands were balled up into fists as the ship heaved and twisted through the atmosphere of New Mecca.

With a sharp jolt the violent light and shakings ceased, replaced with a vast skyline of an ancient world utopia. Tile red domes and tan earth walls made up a planet of holy palm trees and dust, all under a clear blue sky that held three suns and two moons.

The sight did take her breath away, but then again seeing the blazing fires of hell would probably have the same breathtaking effect on her. Riddick pivoted the ship over the city just as the cockpit's smaller c.o.m. Microphone beeped and a voice emitted from the speaker, "Welcome to New Mecca Mr. Laughton. Please state your business here."

"Visiting friends and bring in a new resident. I have no cargo and no business here." Riddick reported evenly.

"Very good sir, please enjoy your stay and dock in Port 563. There is a gentle man by the name of Imam, rector Imam, are you expecting him as your welcoming party Sir?" The man asked.

"Yes I am." He said simply.

"Very well." The voice spoke no more and the c.o.m clicked off. Jack felt the swoop and jerk as they pulled into the busy port. Just as they did she heard footsteps from behind her.

Turning in her seat she saw Minx coming from the small hallway. She stood up and rushed forward, throwing her arms around Minx in a hard embrace. Minx hugged her back and breathed shakily, sounding as if she was crying. Jack could tell because she was crying as well.

"I'm gonna miss ya girl." Minx said softly, "You made these last months of hell fun."

Jack pulled back to look at her friend, "Same here Minx. I'll miss ya too." She paused to hug her again but Minx broke the hug and stepped back about a foot.

Jack watched her draw out a beautiful sparkling bracelet. Without looking twice Jack knew it was the one that she saw the night that Minx let her use her Jacuzzi on the ship. It glistened all the colors of the universe, making Minx's brown eyes reflect all the light that the bracelet held.

She held it out to Jack but Jack shook her head, "I can't-"

But Minx cut her off with a slight smile, "I want you to take this. Raven gave it to me when I was around sixteen. She said to give it to someone the same age that wouldn't betray me. I've got to keep up the tradition so I'm giving it to you."

Jack hesitantly let Minx slip it onto her wrist. Jack watched her do it and noticed that Minx's painted fingernails still matched her own. Taking a sharp breath they both smiled and comically shook hands.

It was then that Minx stepped back again and Jack knew she had one more person to say good-bye to. It was then that she turned to Riddick. He didn't remove his goggles but he embraced her as tight and loving as she'd ever been shown.

She nearly died of happiness and sorrow in his arms in those few moments that were only hers. She locked her arms around his waist and clung to him as he straightened and kissed her forehead briefly.

She opened her eyes just as he pulled back to looked down into her face. His hands still gripped her shoulders as he drew a breath and let a sigh be known, "Take care of yourself Kid, remember what I taught ya, even here in this peace hole."

Not being able to speak she could only manage a nod as she put her hands over his and gave them a slight squeeze. Holding her breath she looked at him for one last moment, "'Bye Riddick."

"G'Bye Jack." He said finally. Something told her that it was time, so she let his hands go and stepped back too. She turned and walked towards the door, sadly knowing that neither Riddick nor Minx could follow for it was too dangerous.

So she glanced at the door for three seconds before pushing the green button to the side of it. With a blink the door opened and her feet moved forwards, taking her into the blinding yellow sunlight of New Mecca.

Walking down the small plank down into the runway she blindly met Imam and his family where he waited at a safe distance. She didn't look back until she heard the familiar roar of Riddick's engines, knowing he was gone.

* * *

Well now it is up to you, please tell me if you want to continue, if I don't get any I might just post anyway...I'm trying to decide, I'm still proud of this story, so I might just want to finish it.

Anne


	29. Darkness Brings Truth Pt1

Thanks so much to all of the people who have reiviewed. This is for you.

Well I'm back with the end of the story.There are two parts to this chapter, it was origninally 10 pages long so I thought I should break it up into two parts. Just a warning if you haven't seen Chronicals of Riddick thereis a characteryou won't recognize..but other than that..here is the first...enjoy:

* * *

**Darkness Brings Truth (pt.1)**

Minx sat a few feet behind Riddick. Both silent. Somehow the roar of the engines did more then just distract her. She soon got lost in the New Mecca blinding atmosphere, golden light making her closed eyes cloud with water.

She felt the quaking of the ship rattle her from the inside out, the vibrations spreading from her center to the very tips of her fingers then inward again.

In the next moment the shaking stopped and the ship felt weightless once again. A slowing whine of the engines filled her ears as the engines wound down from their boost. She took a breath and reopened her eyes, feeling her head light, her stomach slightly nauseous.

Her eyes weren't open for more than a moment before they landed on Riddick. She let her eyes fall on him; she felt his anger, felt his concentration on what was before him. He remained still, looking completely un-phased by what had just happened.

She let her eyes run over the smooth skin of his head, the delicate curves of his shoulder and arm. The light dimly rested on his shoulders, the rest of him was cast in shadows. She felt her gaze stretch to see his face, but she found his jaw and cheekbone was all that she could see.

She continued watching him, knowing he was aware of her gaze. Suddenly he was like a magnet and she was attracted completely, maybe it was being alone with the guilt she had, sitting there in that metal chair, in the silence, knowing she was heading to a world where human life was cheap.

Minx watched as Riddick tilted his head in her direction then seemed to wait. What he was waiting for she didn't know, but as the moments drug on all she could hear was her own breathing.

She saw his hand tighten slightly around the arm of his chair, his grip turned into a white knuckled fist, and then the fist uncoiled. His hand slipped up and down the armrest, his head still tilted in her direction.

Her hands dropped to her lap and undid the harness. She felt herself dazedly stand up and start to leave, the moment she did he turned his face away to look at the immense sky before them. She let out a silent breath and continued on down the hall to her room.

The door slipped closed behind her and encased her in darkness as she walked across the room. After a couple of paces her knees hit the side of the bed. She turned and sat down on the unmade bed, feeling the rumpled sheets press into her back as she laid down.

She pulled out the small locket around her neck, one she didn't touch very often. She closed her fingers around the warm clammy metal and closed her eyes. She didn't need to open the locket to see the face that was inside.

* * *

**Across the system**

"We must come up with a plan soon." Areon breathed, looking out over the expanse of her sun-lit city.

"Maybe the lost child?" Mensa responded.

"If we can find her." Areon said slowly, "It has been many years since I've seen her. A decade or more in their time, this universe is an immense place, and the galaxies beyond are black holes when looking for one girl."

"We must try Areon." Mensa stressed, "You know what will happen in five years or maybe less."

"We need more than the girl to fight the Neomongers." Areon whispered, "To fight them we need him as well."

* * *

Minx felt the dried tears on her face crack as she yawned tiredly, her body felt heavy and empty. A lurch jolted her from the bed, making her tumble onto the cold floor. She breathed heavily but opened her eyes, knowing she was on her face and very uncomfortable.

A slight scraping then a rush of air cocooned the ship, it sounded like a heavy wind beating against metal. The jacks of the ship groaned slightly as they set it down onto some type of floor. _What the hell is going on? Why have we stopped? _She asked herself.

Getting to her feet she touched the side of her leg. Her blade was still tucked into the sleeve within her pants. She felt a little confidence fill her spine as she opened the door and stepped out into the dimly lit hall. She felt her boots grip and release the rubber under her feet with every step she took. As she walked down the hall the cockpit came into view, then Riddick, and finally the small port that they were docked at.

Before she could get to Riddick the door opened and her eyes were glued to it, her hand closed around her blade ready to draw. But she met familiar hazel eyes, her hand uncoiled from the handle of her blade, all thoughts left her, "Hocks?" Minx heard herself whisper, "What are you…how did you…"

Hocks just smirked at her, "She wasn't my only ship Minx."

"Did you receive word from Jack yet?" Riddick asked, his voice split through the space and filled her, unknowingly she held her breath.

Hocks looked to Riddick, "Yea, she's fine, she called from New Mecca this morning." Hocks paused to adjust his shoulders, "The holy man…Imam said your deal is closed. You kept your end so he'll keep his."

She immediately wondered what _deal_ that Hocks was talking about, but she could tell by the look on Hocks's face he didn't know either. Riddick just nodded. Before Minx could think any farther, Hocks turned to her, knowingly meeting her eyes, "I can take you the rest of the way to Nebula 10."

She felt Riddick's eyes on her as well; in fact they were burning holes in her. She bit the inside of her lip, why couldn't the floor just open up and swallow her?

She took another breath, her lungs felt tight, thoughts in the back of her mind were starting to take over, reasons, feelings, and clashes all demanding her attention.

"No that's alright Hocks." Minx said suddenly, then he watched her as she said, "Riddick can take me the rest of the way."

* * *

Riddick felt his anger flare, the semi-deep rage still lingered in his veins. He could feel his equal breathing hitch as he wondered what the hell her game was because he was done playing it.

Hocks nodded and turned to him, although Riddick's attention was still on Minx, "My men have finished loading the supplies. Watch your ass out there."

With that he was gone, the door slid behind him and once again they were left alone. Without another word Minx turned her back and headed down the hall into her room. Her door slipped closed but Riddick promised himself once they took off it wouldn't stay that way.

* * *

She let the darkness surround her once again, but this time she prepared herself for the take off. It happened quick and smooth, nothing like she'd expected. The tip of her ears and hair on the back of her neck began warming up; a slow chill ran up her spine. She felt the inkling go through her body like a crashing wave on the beech. When it reached her mind she turned and triple code-locked her door.

She breathed a small sigh of relief, then a small noise cracked the silence, just a faint click to her ears. Then it got louder and louder, then **bang**, a fist to the center of her door. **Bang**, the noise came again, this time louder, making the metal vibrate, "Open up Minx." Riddick's muffled voice flowed up to her ears; she could tell that he was standing an inch or so outside of the door.

"Can't you understand a locked door?" She challenged. _Why did I turn Hocks down?_ She asked herself, but as she stood there she quickly knew the answer, she didn't want to leave Riddick, she didn't know if it was love, the type of love she had with Deo, but she'd said no to Hocks so easily it scared her.

There was a long silence, the moments turned into minutes, then minutes drug out and her sense of time started slipping away. She stood in the darkness not moving, then **bang **another hit from his fist, this time she screamed, "Minx!" His voice was rough and steadily angry. Now she definitely wouldn't open up.

"I'm sorr--" But she never got a chance to finish before a small wind rushed into her room and two rough hands grabbed her shoulders. In the distance she heard her door slide shut, she felt her feet momentarily leave the floor, her body swiftly moved backwards, then she fell against the wall, "Riddick get the hell out!" She screamed, "What the hell is your problem!"

She felt his hands close tightly over her upper arms, felt his breath slip over her cheek, "I don't like locked doors." His voice was chilling; so cold it was like death. She tried to turn her head away buthis hand gripped her jaw with cool fingertips.

"Lights 15" He ordered, the lights came on to fill the room with a soft glow, "Is this the way it was with him?" Riddick whispered to her, his silver shined eyes glowing with menace and rage, "One minute you're kissing him...then next you lock your bedroom door?" His hands were now back on her upper arms, squeezing them so hard it hurt, "Do you like the power Minx? Turning a guy on, twisting him around. Is that what you did to the love of your life? Did he like it?"

His grip intensified, she swore she could feel his fingers press right into her bones. She closed her eyes and felt hot tears spill down her cheeks as she felt the pain boil inside her. The pain turned to anger and opened her eyes.

Before she could blink she broke his grip on her arm and slapped him as hard as she could. His head snapped to the left, the loud sound of her slap echoed in the room and filled her ears.

She braced herself for his rage; Minx didn't think he would've ever killed her back on Hocks's ship, although now she wasn't so sure. But his face was calmed, almost indifferent, his gaze just locked onto hers once again.

* * *

Riddick showed her a small smile before leaning closer to her, not stopping until he was about an inch from her face, she tried to recoil but he just leant closer, "Did you slap me because you're insulted, or did you slap me because you know it's true?"

Riddick gazed hard at her honey eyes, keeping a firm grip on her arms. He saw the pain written all over her face, her body, even in her breaths, he hated to know that it was him who caused it all, but his rage over rode his humanity, "Com'mon Minxy I'm waiting for an answer." He taunted her, feeling that burning sting spread down his back as he said her name.

Before he knew it her lips were on his, gentle and warm, tasting like salt because of her crying. He kept his grip still on her arms, not moving an inch away from her. His pulse livened, making his heart crash against his ribs.

Her ragged breaths ripped across his upper lip as he took control and tilted her head gently against the door. Her lips parted and broke the kiss, making Riddick open his eyes.

Minx was looking steadily at him, her face clouded by slight anger, "I'm more than insulted Riddick. I hate what you said to me." She said quietly, "And as for the love of my life, Deo, I treated him like my king. I loved him, I cherished him." Her soft spoken words hurt him some how as she looked at him with such melancholy, "But he's dead. And I've grown to care for you."

She took a breath now, and Riddick had nothing to say as she went on, "Jack loves you. She'd be your wife in a second if you asked her. She'd give you her life. You know it Riddick. I can't be with you; I couldn't stand to hurt her like that."

Riddick looked at her, her eyes were now pleading with him, but he didn't know what she wanted from him anymore, finally he heard his voice, far away, not apart of him, but someone else, "Yeah, I know. We all know. You, me, and Jack. But Jack isn't here. Leaving just you and me. What are you going to do about it?"

She closed her eyes then reopened them to gaze down, "Nothing." Riddick took his hands from her, expecting rage but feeling sadness instead. In that moment a rhythmic beeping seeped through the door from the cockpit. Riddick looked at the door over her shoulder, Minx looked at it too and stepped to the side to let him pass.

He exited her room without looking back. He found himself before an immense black sky and a grey spinning planet, Nebula 10.

* * *

There it is...to find outwhat happens next...go on to Pt.2


	30. Darkness Brings Truth Pt2

This is the last chapter in the story. I hope you enjoy this, I think this is some of my best writing. Action is the inspiration. Hope you enjoy this...

**

* * *

**

**Nebula 10**

In a thick haze, she remotely collected her things. Her hands reached out, grabbed things, picked them up, put them down, folded, stuffed, zipped, and lifted. Her arms and hands felt unattached to her, she could only feel her own chest rise and fall with every breath.

She walked along the narrow hall, seeing the row of lights in the center of the hall ceiling pass over her head, casting a slight shadow in front of her as she made her way to the cockpit.

She strapped herself in tight, knowing that the atmosphere was more turbulent than that of New Mecca. Its atmosphere was black and thick as you entered it, knocking the ship around like it was an insect in a thunderstorm.

It was night in Nebula 10, the sprawling factories and five story apartment buildings loomed like ghosts against shadows. The building's hulking forms massive and dark, only faint flecks of light making the city known, lights were bright yellow and in selective places.

Energy was scarce, the people living in Nebula 10 didn't like too much light. The ship tilted to the left and swung gracefully into the port. No security or identification to deal with, you entered this planet at your own risk.

There was a slight scraping as Riddick set down the ship and kept the engine humming. Riddick didn't get up from his seat, didn't move, and didn't speak. But Minx didn't expect him to, and the worst part was that she couldn't think of anything to say to him.

She took a breath and tapped the green button by the door. _Goodbye Riddick_. She silently thought, saying it more to herself then to him. The compressed air between the door and the ship was released with a slow hiss as the door was pulled back and out of her way.

She was planning on leaving just as Jack had done: not looking back, and not stalling for time, just quickly exiting. But she couldn't do it as she turned her head and looked at Riddick's profile.

Looking at him so solemn and cold pushed her finally to exit the ship, then walk down the slightly bouncing ramp and onto the pavement of the port. She had to walk along the side of the ship to get off of the dock and so she did, even though a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her not to.

* * *

Riddick felt her scent rap around his head, even though she was gone from the ship. Her voice still echoed in his mind, _so Minx does want me_, Riddick mused to himself. 

There was a long moment when he wished Minx didn't care about Jack. He hated to admit Minx could get under his skin.

Riddick suppressed his thoughts as he looked out into the dock and began clicking buttons for take off, the sooner he got out of this hell hole the better. He checked in front of him to make sure that the take off would be clean, looking at the black pavement before him for shards of metal. But when he did he saw Minx run in front of the ship, a black sack tied over her head, her hands tied behind her back.

Before he could even blink two huge men took her away. His mind debated whether to take off and let her fend for herself or to save her. But by the time he got outside the dock was calm and no one was there but him.

* * *

She was no longer standing on her own feet. She was being carried through twists and turns, the only sounds that reached her was the man's breathing and the splash of puddles beneath his feet. 

She could see nothing and do nothing but feel like she was in a never-ending maze. She blinked and the cold hard ground slapped the soles of her boots as she was roughly set down again. The surprise caught her off guard and her back fell against a hard wall.

Her world was spinning from the short journey. A male voice came to her ears, "I told you to get her here safely! In no moment did I tell you to hurt her." A heavy thud followed the rugged voice, but the sound of a body hitting the cold pavement wasn't what worried her. It was that man's voice, she knew that voice, almost knew it better than she knew her own. _Deo? ...No it couldn't be..._

She finally began to feel the true cold of the air around her. Then she began to shiver as she felt a gentle touch to her arm. The touch left her with the black sack from around her neck and head. Deo's face filled her vision; she shook her head in disbelief, pushing at him blindly, "No...No…" She whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, "Get away from me…No!"

He stopped her, "Em, its me, I didn't die. Em please."

Minx reopened her eyes, the second she did she looked at him then realized he was right. It was Deo and he was truly alive, "Deo?" She whispered, not sure if he heard her, "I saw you get shot right in front of me, you died…I exploded the building. It crumbled an hour later! You couldn't have survived! How did you live through that? I saw you die!"

She didn't realize how hard she was crying until her vision blurred, "Em calm down. I know this is a shock but—"

Minx couldn't hear him, "Why…how…when-" She knew she was ranting like a mad person but by now she didn't care. Deo was watching her with slightly wide eyes, seeming to be extremely worried.

"I faked my death by getting my two brothers to stand in for me. That night when the Mercs came for us I got out." Deo explained softly.

Suddenly something inside her snapped. She realized what had really happened. The thought made her tears stop, her heart speed up to beat in her ears, and rage fill her body. Her muscles tensed as she punched him as hard as she could, making his neck snap back as he stumbled away from her.

But he recovered instantly, his eyes wide, his color drained from his face, his lip cracked and bleeding, "Minx?" He whispered, his fingertips at his bleeding lips, "Minx listen to me-"

But she couldn't as she hit him again; "You left me there as bait to die!" She cursed him, Leave this rock, leave me, and leave my life! To me you died that night."

Without even having to blink Deo drew his gun and pointed it at her, she stared at him disbelieving, "If I can't be with you, then you died that night too." Deo stated gravely.

All the breath left her lungs as she stared down at the barrels of his black gun. Deo held her eyes and pulled back the hammer, the quiet click of its smooth action filled her ears, "Your last chance. Live or die my love, your choice."

"She lives." From the shadows Riddick grabbed his arm and pulled it up to shoot into the night air. Taking that same arm Riddick spun Deo and sent his fist flying through the center of his face.

A small turbulent wind raged through the wide brick alley as she heard the pounding of many footsteps in the distance. Riddick was about to punch him again but she grit her teeth and pulled Riddick away.

They ducked into an upright storage bin just as the mercs arrived, seeming to immediately recognize Deo, just as they started to grab him Deo seemed to wake, "No…you shit heads…let me go! I'll kill you all!"

They watched a few men take him away, heavily cuffed and still raving, "Minx is still here. She's in the area. Find her!" The rest stayed behind a moment and that wasn't good, they still weren't safe. She felt her feet spring into a run along with Riddick. Bounding over puddles, manholes, and around garbage bins the light mist hit her eyes in prickles of cool water.

She squinted and sped up her pace not to loose Riddick. She sensed someone lingering quickly behind, but abruptly he stopped and turned to her. His face was blank and menacing, something she hadn't seen since the first day they met. He reached out and pulled down a fire escape ladder, "Climb it to the top of the building. Go inside the only door up there, then wait, and don't lock the door." He commanded sternly.

Minx shook her head, hearing pounding footsteps coming up behind them. He drew two shivs and seemed to wait, "Just trust me!" He said angrily, making the bones quake under her skin.

"I do trust you." Minx whispered, making herself leave him behind for the second time tonight, she didn't know how many more times she could do it.

She stretched her arms up and gripped rung after rung until she reached the top of the roof. Just as Riddick had said she found to her immediate right was a lone shed that was protected by shadows and tarps.

Pushing her way through the door she entered the solemn space then leant all her weight onto the door to close it. The heavy door was sealed; only two small mail-slot skylights provided light from the moon. She closed her eyes for a moment so they could adjust to the darkness.

Reopening them she walked over to the cleanest wall and leant against it, finding herself slipping down it as emotion finally consumed her. Tears mingled with sweat as she continued to cry, but the click and scrape of a knob stopped her as the door began to open.

Before the minimal light could graze her feet she reached into the hip of her pants and drew her eight-inch blade. With a prang her blade met metal and she was run up against the wall, she was beginning to notice that this was a trend in where she ended up, against a wall with little escape.

Calloused hands pinned her arms along the side of her head, breathing heavily to herself she saw the blue light of the moon stream down onto Riddick, as he stood motionless before her. He was inches away and completely silent. His shined eyes stood out uncovered and open, every emotion she found there, his eyes in their silver beauty took her breath away.

But a hot tear leaked out from her eye as she watched him, the tear felt like hot fire on her skin. She bit her bottom lip to keep from making a sound. Her eyes followed his until Riddick's silver eyes disappeared behind his own eyelids and she felt his lips graze her cheek. The tear disappeared as he pulled away, only to meet her eyes once again.

She knew he was now waiting for her reaction so she shut out all of her thoughts and leant up as far as she could to reach his ear, "I love you." She whispered moving her head to kiss his cheek then jaw.

Breathing in she felt him drop her arms as they kissed gently. But the moment ended all too soon and she watched Riddick wince in pain, then look down at his arm. Following his gaze she saw the huge red gash that ripped horizontally across his upper bicep.

She bent to pick up her blade then held out the hem of her shirt. Taking a long breath she slid the blade's edge along the black material, watching the strip fall away from her. Minx slipped the blade back into her hip pocket, then held up the strip and wrapped it around his wound, tying the material into a tight knot to hold it on.

Meekly she looked up at him almost startled to see him looking at her so solemn. She felt herself sigh as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her a little, "Minx." His voice growled, making her knees buckle a little.

He squeezed her quickly then set her back down, giving her a gentle hug, his muscles tensed in pain. The heavy sound of a ship crushed the light air around them, making him let her go then step away from her. He looked at her one last time then ran out the door.

She stayed behind then dropped to the ground as the ship's searchlight swept through the space like the light of day. Minx pressed again the dusty ground and kept her eyes open, she turned her head to see the glass vibrate on the floor and the ship's engine's revved and whined trying to stay in one place.

A startling boom momentarily drowned out the Merc's engine, woke Minx out of her heavy trance and lured her outside. Across the dark backdrop above the roof where she stood was their escape ship rising out of the alley. The Merc ship seemed to almost sill in fear until it fired in vain.

Riddick swerved to the side plunging behind a building, which took the Merc's missile instead. She didn't move as she waited for Riddick's ship to resurface. The Merc's ship plunged below as well, disappearing out of sight.

* * *

Riddick gritted his teeth as he darted into the street, the Merc hot on his trail. He swerved into another street trying to loose the jerk but it didn't work. Riddick looked down at his red grid screen seeing the Merc ship closing in on him. He smirked to himself, "Alright asshole lets dance." He whispered to himself, then shoved the throttle forward and let go of the brakes. 

The ship went vertical and shot out of the buildings towards the sky. A heavy bone crushing weight settled on top of him, the breath was ripped from his body. Behind his goggles his eyes clouded up with pain. He was pushed into his seat, he couldn't move as the speed numbed and distorted his muscles. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't see until he leveled out again.

His arm numbed as he pulled the throttle back, looking over his shoulder to see the Merc ship split from his side.

* * *

Minx watched with a strangled breath as the two ships shot from the buildings soaring up to the sky until the Merc ship broke from Riddick's side and swerved to the right. A crackle and rasp filled the air as Riddick flipped around to face the Merc ship. 

Now they were facing each other as if they were fighting a duel, they'd already pulled their ten paces now it was time to shoot. The Merc ship fired first but Riddick rolled to the side, swerved, then fired back, hitting the Merc ship dead on. It was like the sun exploding, bright orange fire ripped through the sky. But as she blinked the Merc ship was gone, not a trace of it except raining metal appeared in its wake.

As the smoke and silence cleared, screams arose from far below her. But she never looked down; her eyes were glued on the sky. Minx watched the red orbs of Riddick's exhaust flare as he pointed the ship to the horizon and left her standing alone among the havoc he'd caused.

She watched him until he was just another star, not knowing that in five years Riddick would return.

* * *

**The End**

A Friend in an Enemy is over. But I've decided that I have enought ideas to make a sequel. This story takes palce after "The Choronicals Of Riddick." It seems to fit perfect. There are still a couple of unanswered questions from this story that I will answer in the sequel like:

What is the deal that Riddick made with Imam? And How did the Mercs show up on that planet and know where Deo was? What girl was Areon talking about?

I will start writing the sqeual soon. Until then thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing this. This is the frist story I've ever completed. And it is an awesome feeling.

Much love to all who read this,  
Anne


End file.
